Irrevocably
by bluester007
Summary: Ian's always chased Amy around, but he's never quite been able to find the courage to catch her. When he finally confesses his feelings, a secret relationship blossoms. A short story based on Amy and Ian's ambiguous relationship, from their Cahill genes, their fragile friendship and alliance, to the spark of romance that is inevitable. Mainly Amian, with Hamead and Natan x
1. Secret

**Summery: A short story based on Amy and Ian's ambiguous relationship, from their Cahill genes, their fragile friendship and alliance, to the spark of romance that is (in my opinion) inevitable. **

**Setting: Set 1 year after Cahills vs. Vespers; assuming all hostages were released and are now back to their not-so-ordinary lives.**

**Disclaimer: I do not, and most likely never will, own the 39 clues, the scripted characters, the novel plot lines, etc. However, any characters you don't recognise (from café waiters to made-up friends) are just that. Made-up. So, yeah, maybe I do own something.**

* * *

"_Hello, Love."_

It all started with those two simple words. _Hello, Love. _I didn't know what to do at the time. I was just so damn happy that everything had turned out okay – well, as okay as it can be when you're a Cahill. One year after what we now call "The V Incident", or TVI, my family, the people I care about, were finally back to their old selves again. The scars and marks left behind were barely noticeable, even if they were still there, and smiling was something I would permit more often than not. Dan even had a girlfriend – sorry girl _friend_. Her name, believe it or not, was Natalie Kabra.

The grass was a bright green that stretched on for miles into the distance, Grace's roses stood tall and proud in the light rays of sun, and the sky was looking bluer then ever, speckled with fluffy white clouds here and there. So why, on that lovely spring morning, was I in a bad mood?

Ian Kabra.

Don't get me wrong, though. Ian could be a great friend when he wanted to be, if somewhat distant. But whenever he stayed with us in Grace's recently rebuilt mansion, he locked himself in his room all day, brooding over some ridiculously pathetic matter – which, admittedly, I knew absolutely nothing about – and only came down for breakfast and dinner.

This being his usual behaviour, it would seem illogical to be irritated by it. In a way, it was. Just because he'd had one good day didn't mean I should've expected another. But after what had happened…

* * *

Ian came down for breakfast, picked up a plate of pancakes from the kitchen, and dumped half of them onto Dan's plate, picking up an apple on his way past. There was nothing unusual about his routine until he sat down at the table. Not in his normal seat, in the far corner, but right in the middle, next to Jonah. It went quiet for a few seconds as everyone watched Ian with obvious surprise. He simply looked around the table, shrugged, and took a bite of his lusciously red apple.

Conversation went back to normal as Jonah's voice, heavy with sleep and lacking enthusiasm, asked, "What we doing today, yo?"

I rolled my eyes. Jonah was usually… normal around us, and hardly ever called us 'dogs' or something, unless he was too tired to realise who he was talking to. "Wake up and lose the gangster, Jonah."

"He stayed up too late last night working on a song."

Again, the table fell silent, all eyes on Ian. He never contributed to the breakfast conversation, and most of us were surprised that he actually knew what someone else was doing. In fact, he rarely spoke to anyone at all.

"What?" He asked, bemused.

"I'm surprised you haven't lost your voice, brother," Natalie said as she sat next to Dan.

He tried to look slightly offended and confused, and seemed to fool everyone else, but I saw right through his façade. He knew exactly _what._

"Why don't we just chill?" Hamilton asked, glancing towards Sinead. They'd been spending a lot of time together recently. I think Natalie was waiting for the engagement announcement.

"We could go in the pool?" Dan suggested. "It's a nice day."

Everyone seemed to agree, and silently finished their breakfast. I didn't expect Ian to join in, and I didn't practically feel like swimming anyway, so while everyone else took their plates to Nellie in the kitchen, I picked up my book – which I'd conveniently brought with me to breakfast – and went to sit on the balcony. It overlooked the backyard, so I could see the pool to the left, just out of ear shot of the inevitable shouting and splashing that would soon come, and watch the sun glinting on the lake's surface in the near distance, like a sheet of glass. I was immersed in my book for what felt like just minutes. As I finished a chapter, I looked up. Everyone was already in the pool, splashing around and having fun. It's funny how time flies when you're reading.

I watched my family, a small smile playing on my lips. It's strange how, after everything we've been through, from trying to kill each other in the race for the 39 clues, to TVI, the pressure of worrying and wondering whether everyone was alright, we could all still smile and enjoy life. Even if it was just for a few moments, we could forget everything that had happened and laugh.

We could still love.

I sighed, closing my eyes and biting my lip. Funny how that thought came to mind. It seemed almost comical, and a little desperate, to be honest. _I could still like him like that. Almost love him._

"Hello, love," said a voice behind me. I nearly jumped off my chair. It was a silky British accent that could belong to only one person.

_Think of the devil, and the devil appears, _I thought, not bothering to acknowledge said 'devil'.

Ian sat beside me on the garden bench, looking out into the horizon with a sigh.

"So… How are you?" He asked.

I raised my eyebrow, but answered him anyway. "Good. Really good, actually." After a brief silence, I asked, "How are you?"

"I'm… fine," was all he said.

I scoffed, which caused Ian to shoot me a questioning look.

"What?"

I shook my head. "You know, whenever we talk, you always seem to leave me with more questions than answers. That is, when you actually _do _talk to me."

"Well… answers are sometimes hard to give if you want to tell the truth," he said, almost sounding wise.

"See what I mean? You did it again."

"Again?"

I nodded. "The questions I've picked up from this minute-long conversation are, 'Why are you suddenly talking to me, _and_ everyone else?' 'How are you really?' and 'What's the truth?'"

He was silent, contemplating. It was infuriating to sit through. I felt like standing up and leaving before I screamed in frustration.

"I'll give you two questions," he finally said.

I fiddled with the bookmark in my lap. "Okay. How are you really?"

He took a deep breath. "Tired, frustrated, annoyed…." The rest rushed out so fast I don't think he even noticed what he was saying. "Selfish, arrogant, cruel, hopeless, stuck, insensitive, lost. Completely and irrevocably in-" He stopped himself, looking down at his feet, which I noticed were bare. I'd never seen Ian with bare feet.

I hesitated before speaking. "You know, you're not really those things. Well, you may be tired, and annoyed, and possibly lost. But 'cruel'? 'Insensitive'? You're not those things. Not anymore."

Ian shook his head like he didn't believe me, and I couldn't help thinking about what he stopped himself saying. 'Completely and irrevocably in-' what? What was he going to say?

"You have one more question left," he said quietly.

I couldn't decide what to ask. I had so many questions before he sat down beside me – a good hundred or so. And now? That number's doubled, if not tripled. Finally, I decided to ask the one that I just _knew _would only leave me more confused.

"What's the truth?"

He sighed, like he was hoping I wouldn't ask that. "That's a pretty broad question. And it's a long truth. You might not like it," he warned.

"You said I had two questions," I reminded him. "I've chosen."

He looked at me, and I was shocked by how much pain and worry his eyes held. Why? What was going on?

I gripped his hand reassuringly, not quite sure how a peaceful, if not strange, morning turned so heavy, so full of the emotions flying around. And how our family was still messing about in the pool without noticing the change in the atmosphere. To me, it felt like a big grey cloud had covered the sun.

He breathed out heavily and squeezed his eyes shut. "I honestly don't know where to start. There's so much to say, so much truth to be told… I'll start by saying sorry. To you. To _everyone_. I haven't exactly done something horrible in the sense that I betrayed you all or something along those lines. But I've ignored you, all year. I'm supposed to visit you to spend time with you, but instead I've been locking myself away. I've barely even said a word to anyone. I feel like I can't face anyone until the truth is out there, because it feels like it's written all over me, in big, bold letters. You probably thought I just didn't care about you, or I couldn't stand being with you. And I guess, in a way, that's true."

He squeezed my hand and shook his head to clear it. "Let me put that another way. I _do _care, and that's why I can't stand being around you."

I gave him a questioning look. "So, you ignore us because you care about us and you don't want us to know?" I asked, slightly appalled. "Because your too proud to show that you care or something?"

"No! Of course not! I don't care about everyone – well, I do care about everyone – but… When I say 'you', I mean _you. Just_ _you. _I care about _you._"

I let that sink in, my mouth slightly agape. What did he mean when he said he cared about _me_?

"The truth," Ian continued, "is that I can't stand being around you because of how I feel. I don't want to mess up the peace and happiness this family only just found with my…" He sighed. "I love you, Amy. I've loved you for… quite a while. Some time during the clue hunt, I lost the will to do what Isabel said and I wanted _so badly _to fix everything between us. I didn't want us to hate each other. I was sick of all the hate and pain and trying to kill everyone else. I still am. And then later, when you called, I said I wasn't coming. I was rude and horrible, all because of my stupid pride. I was _in love with a Cahill_! Everything I'd been taught my whole life, everything I _knew_, was the complete opposite of how I felt." He caught his breath for a moment, then smiled, looking up at me. "Love. That's what I started calling you. _Love_."

_Wow, _I thought. _Just… wow. That was unexpected._

"I really don't expect you to reciprocate my feelings. After all, I'm a Kabra. I'm glad you know, though." He gave me a sad smile and stood up, trying to pull apart our tightly entwined fingers. But I stood with him and stepped closer, not letting go.

"Ian…" I started. "I… I can't say I love you. Not yet. But I do have feelings for you. I've tried to ignore them, but… I guess you know that that doesn't seem to work, right?" I took a deep breath, shocked by what I was about to do. "I'm not ready to love you," I whispered. "But I'm ready for this."

Before I could lose my courage, I closed the distance between us and kissed him. Softly, lightly, but a kiss nonetheless. Butterflies flew frantic circles in my stomach, and it felt good. _Really _good. I didn't want it to end, but I knew that if I didn't stop to breathe soon, I wouldn't be able to kiss him again. Ever. And although I wasn't quite ready to say that I love him, his lips were really soft and tasted like cinnamon, and he smelt like clove. To experience that feeling, the rush of emotions, again was worth letting go.

I was drawing in deep breaths, staring intently into Ian's eyes, when I heard a loud bang from the kitchen and immediately broke away from his grip.

"Are you okay?" he asked, worry lines etched on his forehead.

I nodded. "Just scared me."

We stared at each other for a moment longer before I spoke again. "Ian?"

"Yes, love?"

I smiled at the name that was once a maddening phrase but was now a term of endearment. "Can we… not tell anyone? Just for now. I want to have at least _one _secret that no one else knows. And they'd tease us until we'd torn our hair out."

He laughed. "Let's see how long it can last. I'm betting on 2 weeks before anyone finds out."

I grinned. "Unless you're planning on telling anyone, then I'd say we could last… 8 months."

Ian raised his eyebrows. "You're planning on keeping us a secret for 8 months?"

I nodded and squeezed his hand before final letting it go.

* * *

… After what happened, I way frustrated. Again. Just because I said we'd keep it a secret didn't mean he had to go back into his hermit shell and hide again.

"Amy?" Jonah called, waving a hand in front of my face.

"What?" I snapped instinctively. I sighed and forced a small smile. "Sorry, Jonah."

"No problem. You just looked like you were trying to glare a hole through the table, that's all."

I looked down at the table, just to check, then glanced around the room. Today, it seemed, all eyes were on me instead of Ian.

"What?" I asked.

They all shook their heads.

"What was up with Ian yesterday?" Sinead asked. "He actually came down to breakfast, and spent the day out of his room."

Natalie shrugged. "Maybe he'll come down soon."

"I doubt it," I scoffed, once again glaring a hole through the table. "He never comes down for lunch."

It fell silent.

"Why are you in such a bad mood?" Hamilton asked.

Dan smirked. "No Ian."

"Dan," I scolded. "A lot can change in two years."

Natalie stared at me.

"What?" I demanded, once again.

She considered me for a second, then asked, "What happened?"

I shook my head. "Nothing happened. I'm… fine." Then I realised I'd repeated what Ian had said to me yesterday. Oops.

Laughter flowed through the doorway. Familiar laughter. I looked up and saw Ian leaning against the doorframe, smirking at me. "How are you really?" he mocked.

I crossed my arms and glared, which only made him laugh harder. I groaned and rested my face on my arms that were crossed over the table. In the silence – and lack of laughter – I heard the chair beside me scrape on the floor as Ian sat down.

"So... Ian…" Jonah started, not quite sure how to say what was bound to be the next question.

Hamilton beat him to the punch. "Why is it that you're suddenly so social, Ian?" He sounded like a therapist, checking up on his most troubled patient.

"I was hungry," Ian said simply.

Natalie sighed. "Come on, Ian. You haven't even spoken to _me_! I'm your sister!"

"I was… busy."

"Too busy for your sister?" Natalie asked, exasperated. "And your cousins?" She quickly added.

"Hate to get between _another_ family feud, but you're yelling in my ear," I grumbled.

Ian nudged my shoulder. "Why are _you_ so grumpy?"

I was going to reply with a witty remark when I realised I didn't exactly _have_ a reason to be mad anymore. Ian was here, out of his cave.

"Probably PMS-ing," Dan announced, as cheery as ever. I couldn't glare at him because that would only confirm his theory.

Natalie, the kind, thoughtful cousin she is, said. "Nope. That was 2 weeks ago."

"Thanks, _Nat_," I said through my arms, using the much hated nickname Dan had given her.

"No problem, _love_," she said back.

My head shot right up. "With Ian, that name's bearable. But two Kabras?" Even to me, my voice sounded harsh, almost viscious. "Call me that again, and I swear-"

"Okay!" Ian cut me off. "No killing my sister, please. _Love_."

"Wipe that smirk off your face, Cobra."

Jonah started laughing. "What is _with_ you three? Did you _all_ wake up on the wrong side of the bed?"

I sighed. "I'm going to the library."

I walked past Nellie on my way out, who gave me a strange look, but I just stormed past, ignoring her.

"Hey, Kiddos. What was that about?" I heard her ask, her voice slowly fading away as I moved further into the mansion.

* * *

"Why hasn't she come down yet?" Dan's voice trailed from the dining room, up the stairs, to the open door to my bedroom. "She's probably hungry."

"I'll take her some hot chocolate," Ian offered.

I could _feel_ Dan's confusion. He could sometimes be completely oblivious. "Why you?" He asked.

"To apologise."

I shut the door quietly, hoping they would get the picture. I wasn't hungry. I was tired. Admittedly, I was a little thirsty, but I didn't want to see anyone. I don't know why I was still annoyed. Who would've thought one hour less of sleep could affect you so much?

Someone knocked on the door, assumedly Ian.

"Yes, Ian?" I called.

He opened the door. "How did you know it was me?"

"I can hear you in the _kitchen_ from here, you know."

He looked unconvinced. "Really?"

"With the door open, yes."

Ian smiled a beautiful smile, which I liked a lot more then his signature smirk. He shut the door and handed me a hot mug without a word. We drank in silence, and I savoured the sweet taste. I _was_ thirsty.

After draining the cup, I placed it on my bedside table. Ian did the same, then pulled me off the bed and into his chest.

"I'm sorry about earlier," he whispered into my hair. After a minute, he kissed me on the head and let me go. I entwined both his hands with mine.

"Me, too. I guess staying up late does that to you," I said, stretching our arms out at our sides and standing on my tiptoes to place a lingering kiss on his lips.

He smirked. "And why, might I ask, were you up late?"

"I was making out with an English man."

He burst out laughing. "Frank, aren't you?"

"Amy, actually. I thought my boyfriend would know that," I laughed.

He grinned and wrapped his arms around my waist. I tangled my hands in his hair and pulled his head down to me. He captured my lips with his and brought me closer to him.

Then someone knocked on the door and we jumped apart, grinning from ear to ear.

"8 months. You're on," Ian whispered, reaching for the door handle. I smiled and picked up our empty mugs.

_8 months of secret make-out sessions with my new boyfriend? That I could handle._

* * *

**DA-NAH! Finally finished! I spent all afternoon working on this one. And there's another chapter coming up soon. I'm not sure if it'll be a two-shot or three-shot or whatever. We'll see.**

**While I was writing this, in the background I heard my 5-year-old sister say, "Fuck off". Bad, right? But I couldn't help laughing because it finished the sentence I was writing. "The truth is fuck off." **

**Sorry. Just thought I'd let you know ;)**

**Please review and let me know what you think. Constructive criticism is welcome.**


	2. Eighteen Part 1 (2 Months)

**Next chapter! **

**Claimer: I own the cover image.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the 39 clues.**

* * *

**The following are the current ages of the characters in this story**

**Natalie Kabra, Dan Cahill, Reagan and Madison Holt**

**39 Clues: 11 **

**Cahills vs. Vespers: 13**

**This Story: 15**

**Ian Kabra, Amy Cahill**

**39 Clues: 14 **

**Cahills vs. Vespers: 16**

**Beginning of Story: 17**

**Hamilton Holt, Jonah Wizard**

**39 Clues: 15**

**Cahills vs. Vespers: 17**

**This Story: 19**

**Ned, Ted, and Sinead Starling**

**39 Clues: 17**

**Cahills vs. Vespers: 19**

**This Story: 21**

**Nellie Gomez**

**39 Clues: 20**

**Cahills vs. Vespers: 22**

**This Story: 24**

* * *

A shiver ran down my spine as the cold summer night's wind pricked my exposed arms and face.

"I should start remembering to wear jackets," I admitted, staring up at the bright, white moon. Ian's chest rumbled against my back as he chuckled quietly. He tightened his grip around me and pulled me closer. His legs entwined with mine, and he began rubbing our feet together to keep them warm.

"And longer shorts," he added.

I scoffed, tugging at the denim hem that covered at least a third of my thigh. "My shorts are perfectly long enough, thank you. Maybe the weather should warm up. It _is_ the middle of summer."

"It's also the middle of the night, love."

I sighed. "Remind me again why we're out here in the cold?"

He picked up my hand and, leaning over my shoulder, kissed my fingers. "Because everyone else is asleep. And the moon's full."

I leaned my head back into the crook of his neck, feeling the soft hum of his chest as he spoke.

"We're also out here because you can see the stars tonight," he continued. "It needs to be cold to see the stars, because clouds hold the warmth in. And you can't see the whole sky when there are clouds."

I smirked. "You said that earlier."

"Then you should've listened."

"How would I know you said it earlier if I hadn't listened?" I demanded playfully.

He shrugged. "That's an excellent question. You should be asking yourself that, love."

I smiled and stared out at the black night sky, speckled with thousands of tiny stars of all different sizes. I could name a few constellations, but if I pointed them out to Ian, he would probably name every single one of them, showing off his 'superior intelligence' and once again make me feel stupid. He knew too much for his own good.

"Hear that?" Ian asked, after a few minutes of silence.

I shook my head.

He grinned. "Exactly. It's peaceful, isn't it?"

We settled back into a comfortable silence, and for the first time, I noticed that there were no sounds at all, not even the faint chirping of evening crickets, or the whispers of the trees as the wind passed by. I saw the flashing light of a satellite slowly moving across the sky, and followed its course with my eyes. I started playing with Ian's finger in my lap, lifting up one finger, then another. His feet rubbed against mine, and slowly the warmth began seeping back into my bones.

"You know, I'm glad you brought me out here," I admitted as he cupped my hands in his. "Apart from the cold, that is."

I looked up at him, smiling. The moonlight reflected in his eyes as he peered down at me, the stars shining in the pools of liquid amber.

"I love you," he said.

I smiled. "I know."

"Good. Never forget it."

I reached up and brushed aside a strand of hair from his cheek. "I don't plan to."

I turned my body to the side, my hand finding its way to the back of Ian's neck. He leaned down slowly and pressed his lips to mine. My eyes fluttered shut as his soft lips caressed mine, and I felt my whole body relax, losing all the tension in my shoulders and back like I'd turned to jelly. The kiss started out gently, but the heat began to grow. I rolled over so I was straddling him and cupped his face with my hands, deepening the kiss. He pulled away for a moment and looked me in the eye.

"Happy two-month anniversary," he whispered.

I placed a quick kiss on his nose. "Happy 18th birthday."

I pressed my lips back to his.

* * *

Sinead's P.O.V

"Amy?" I whispered as quietly as I could, peering into Amy's bedroom. My brow furrowed when I saw no one there. Even though Amy usually stayed up late, I was always able to find her in her here. But tonight, her bedroom and bathroom lights were off, and her bed lay untouched, the quilt still spread out neatly, creaseless.

I silently crept down the hall and into the library. A quick scan of the large room showed no occupants, so I carefully made my way down the stairs to the kitchen. Again, no one was there. I tiptoed through the rooms on the bottom floor, finally coming to a stop in the lounge room that led to the back porch. Dejectedly, I sat down on a plush armrest, rubbing the sleep from my eyes and glancing around the room. Only then did I notice that the back door was wide open, a cool air sweeping in. Strange. No one would dare break into the Cahill mansion. The large, intimidating security cameras that watched the property border were clear signs that the family who lived here were not to be messed with.

"You know, I'm glad you brought me out here. Apart from the cold, that is." The sound nearly gave me a heart attack. Although her voice was soft, and easily recognisable, I was not at all expecting the sudden sound.

_What was Amy doing out in the cold? _I wondered, quietly making my way to the door.

"I love you," a silky British accent said. Ian.

"I know," Amy said

"Good. Never forget it."

"I don't plan to."

_Wait, _I thought. _Did I hear that right? _I stepped through the door and saw Ian sitting against the wall with Amy between his legs. Her hand rested behind his neck and their legs were tangled together. Now, this in itself was hard to believe. But what they were actually _doing_ I found nearly impossible to comprehend. Their lips were on one another's and they... I shook my head, trying to clear away what could only be insane visions. But when I opened my eyes again, they were still there.

As I watched, Amy rolled over and placed her legs on either side of Ian's, holding his face in her hands.

Ian pulled away and whispered, "Happy two-month anniversary."

Amy smiled. "Happy 18th birthday," Amy said.

They were quickly kissing again, and there was clearly a lot of passion in the air. My mouth hung open in shock as my mind processed what I'd heard and seen, putting together the pieces.

_No way, _I thought, _There's absolutely no way this is possible! _But truth right before me hit me hard.

"Two months?" I almost screeched, trying and nearly failing to keep my voice down. "You kept this hidden from me for _two whole months_?"

* * *

Amy's P.O.V

_Shit_, I thought, quickly scrambling away from my boyfriend. I knew my hair was a mess, and my lips lightly throbbed from kissing said boyfriend, but I barely noticed. All I could think was, _shit.  
_

"Sinead!" I hissed. "Keep it down!"

She stepped forward. "_Me_ keep it down? What about you two? You were practically eating each others faces off!" Her face was bright red, from embarrassment or anger, I didn't know. Probably both.

I sighed and used the wall to pull myself up, straightening my clothes before helping Ian up.

"What the hell is going on?" Sinead demanded.

I gave her a pointed look. "Isn't that obvious."

"Amy," Ian warned. I didn't know why he was alarmed, though, so I ignored him. I didn't see anything wrong with kissing Ian apart from the fact that Sinead, who happened to be my best friend, had no clue about my relationship with him. She was mad, very mad, which was understandable. It's not every day – or night – that you walk in on your cousins kissing. I could almost see the steam spouting from her ears and nose.

Then her expression turned to complete and utter shock. Her eyes widened. "You w-w-what?"

Realisation dawned on me as I thought over what I'd said. _Shit, _I thought again. _I really need to work on that. _Over the past few weeks, whenever I said something, it was taken in the complete wrong way. Everyone's mind seemed to automatically assume I made a dirty comment, and I really didn't know why. Maybe I was saying things in another way. Even I've started to notice that I've been acting a little differently since I started dating Ian. I was happier and, I'll admit, his lips were on my mind a _lot_.

I frantically shook my head. "I didn't mean _that. _I meant, isn't it obvious we were kissing. _Just kissing. _Nothing more."

I glanced at Ian and, just as I expected, he was smirking. I punched his shoulder.

"Ow!"

I rolled my eyes and turned back to Sinead. "Let me explain?" I asked.

"Fine." She huffed, clearly regretting her decision.

A slight twinge of relief passed over me. "_Okay_... Well, Ian and I have been... in a relationship for 2 months-"

"What?" Sinead screeched.

"-that needs to stay a secret!" I quickly cut her off and finished my sentence. "Please, Sinead?" I begged.

She shook her head in disbelief. "I don't care whether you and Ian are together. Why didn't you tell me? For a two whole months?"

Ian stepped forward and rested his hand on my lower back. "Because," he said, "we both agreed to keep our relationship a secret. If she told you, then I would've told someone and… well, it's obvious that wouldn't have worked."

I tried my best pleading face. "Please, Sinead? I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but I couldn't!"

She looked back and forth between Ian and me, studying us carefully. In that moment of silence, I didn't breathe at all. Then finally, she sighed in defeat. "Fine. But I want details. I may be an Ekat, but that doesn't mean I don't like gossip."

I smiled, relieved. "Thank you." I reached out and hugged her, feeling strangely excited. Sure, it'd been my idea to keep Ian and I a secret. But letting someone know, even by accident, felt good. I finally had someone to talk to without giving up our secret.

She pulled back and grinned. "A Cahill and a Kabra, huh?"

I rolled my eyes but smirked. "Shut it, Starling."

Ian coughed behind us. "Hate to interrupt, but it's 1:00am." He yawned, covering his mouth with his hand. "I think it's time for bed."

I nodded, holding back a yawn of my own, and bid Sinead goodnight. She turned around and walked out onto the lawn, making her way to the guesthouse. I watched her go, then let Ian lead me inside.

He stopped at my door and smiled. "You know, this whole 'secret' business… I'm starting to think we need to renegotiate the terms of our bet."

I snorted. "I didn't realise there _was_ a bet. And I'm pretty sure you've already lost anyway."

"Well, now that it's been well over two weeks, I've changed my mind."

I had to hold back a laugh, not wanting to wake everyone up. "So, yesterday you were still betting on two weeks? Even after almost three times that had passed?"

His eyes held a mischievous glint, and I barely had time to wander what he was planning when my back hit the wall and his hands rested on either side of my head, effectively trapping me. His face hovered right in front of mine, the warmth of his breath tickling my cheeks.

"It could be my birthday present," he whispered.

I froze. A strange feeling tightened my chest, constricting my breathing. I wanted so badly to smash my lips against his. I knew there was nothing wrong with that – after all, he _was_ my boyfriend – but it would most likely give us away. Dan was in the room across from me, Jonah and Hamilton were beside him. Natalie, and Madison and Reagan were on either side of my room. We were right in the middle of everyone else.

_To hell with it,_ a part of me thought. _Who cares if everyone knows? Just kiss him, damn it!_

"I-I already…" I took a sharp breath in as Ian began trailing kisses along my neck. "I… al… already…" My voice trailed off. Ian's hand caressed my cheek as he planted a kiss between my eyes, moving down to the tip of my nose. He teasingly placed a long, lingering kiss on the side of my mouth, and I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to clear my head.

Somehow, I managed to push him away. "Stop trying to distract me!"

He smirked and crossed his arms smugly against his chest.

"I already have a present for you," I finally said.

His smirk grew wider. "It took you a while to tell me that, didn't it, love?" He placed a light peck on my lips. "I'd say 1 more month."

I sighed and rolled my eyes. "You just don't give up, do you?"

He shook his head.

"Fine!" I threw my hands in the air. "4 more months. But I don't see a point in betting if there are no stakes."

"That," Ian said, "is a marvelous idea. I win, and Natalie has to take you dress shopping."

"What do I need a dress for?"

He flashed me an infuriating smile that said he knew something I didn't.

"Argh! Okay, then! If I win…" I thought for a moment. "I'll decide when that happens."

"_If_ that happens."

I rolled my eyes, turned my back to him, and opened my bedroom door. "Goodnight, Ian," I said pointedly, putting as much annoyance as I could into my voice.

Strong hands grabbed my shoulders and spun me around. Ian's lips were instantly on mine, and I melted into his arms.

"Goodnight, love."

Half an hour later, I lay tucked up in my warm, cozy bed. Although my body was half asleep, my mind ran wild. All my thoughts were on Ian, and the way he'd made me feel earlier. That strange tightening of my chest as he tried his best to seduce me. I could still faintly feel my heart hammering against my ribs while my lungs closed up. At the time, I was unable to put a name to that feeling. It was a sort of longing, but also passion. It was a comfortable, welcome warmth, but also a painful fire burning me from inside out. It was backwards and forwards, not quite one thing, but not quite the other, either. My mind had turned to mush the instant my back had touched the wall. The name of the feeling had sat on the tip of my tongue, but I hadn't had the ability to swallow it.

With a start, I realised that feeling had been _lust_. Ian Kabra had made me _want_ him.

* * *

"Happy birthday!" Natalie sang, hugging her brother. He quietly muttered a thank you into her ear, and although he tried to hide it, I saw nonetheless. I couldn't help the small smile tugging on my lips as I watched the brother and sister. Ian turned and glanced at me, a similar smile gracing his features.

Someone's hair flicked me in the face as they plunked down in the chair beside mine.

"Hey, Amy," Sinead said. "Did you sleep well?"

I gave her a discreet warning glare, then nodded my head to please everyone else, who were waiting for my response. "I did, thank you."

"I don't know, Love," Ian said. "You look a little tired. Late night?" He sat on the chair opposite me and subtly winked in my direction. Sinead saw and smirked.

Fiske, who was here for the day, watched the exchange with confusion, but quickly decided to let it go.

Dan walked by the table with a plate of food in one hand. His other hand was suspiciously behind his back, and as he passed Natalie, he swiftly dropped something down the back of her shirt and sat at the head of the table.

Natalie didn't even flinch. "Thank you, Daniel. It was getting rather hot in here," she purred.

Dan was staring at Natalie, his jaw drooping, touching the table. "Where's the screaming? I just dropped an ice cube down your back!"

"Indeed you did. It's quite refreshing."

He shook his head in disbelief. "Who are you and what have you done with Natalie Kabra?"

She grinned and stood up, her hands behind her back. She walked the short distance to where Dan was sitting and pecked him on the cheek. He blushed furiously. A second later, water was dripping down Dan's face and Natalie was back in her seat, placing an empty cup beside her plate.

Jonah and Hamilton came in, talking animatedly, and sat down.

"Morning everyone!" Jonah said. "Happy birthday Ian."

"So, Ian. How does it feel being 18?" Hamilton asked.

Ian shrugged. "No different then yesterday."

Hamilton nodded. "I know the feeling. I'm 19 and I still feel like a 16-year-old."

"That'd be because you're brain hasn't changed one bit," Sinead commented.

Jonah laughed. "You got that right. Hey, Ian. Did you know you can legally drink now in Australia?"

Ian raised an eyebrow. "We're not in Australia."

Hamilton and Jonah shared a grin. "But we will be in 3 months."

Looking around, it seemed Ian and I were the only ones not in on their travel plans, judging from their unsurprised faces.

"What're talking about?" I asked. "Since when are you going to Australia?"

"_We_, cuz. You're coming, too."

I looked to Fiske for help. He smiled and explained. "As a gift from us all combined, you children, along with Nellie, are going to Australia to celebrate Ian and Amy's 18th birthdays. Because Amy's birthday isn't for another 3 months, we thought we'd save it until then. I hope you don't mind, Ian."

Ian shook his head, saying no, he didn't. "That sounds... fun. Thank you."

Fiske nodded and went back to his breakfast.

"So... because it's a special day," Natalie said, "We need to do something special."

"No shopping!" Madison and Reagan yelled in unison.

Natalie laughed. "That's hardly special." She put her hand into her pocket and pulled out a slip of card. She gave it to Ian. "We're going to the cinema."

Ian smiled. "Cheap buttery popcorn and the unbearable scent of urine? Why, Natalie, you sure know how to make a man feel special."

"I think it's fowl," Natalie admitted. "But you seem to enjoy it, God knows why."

"Okay," Dan clapped his hands together. "Lets go to the movies!"

I gave him a strange look. "Have you been watching 'Annie'?"

He pointed a finger accusingly at Natalie. "She made me."

I rolled my eyes and was picking at my breakfast when Hamilton nearly screamed.

"Whoa! Dude!" Hamilton exclaimed, looking Dan up and down. "Why are you wet?"

* * *

The movie was one of those political films about the troubled politician who wanted to find his place in life. Ian took one look at the 'Now Showing' list and grimaced at the sappy romance-comedy titles, trying his best to ignore them completely. There was only one choice left. I didn't blame him for choosing it. The other films would've bored me to death in 10 minutes.

It was a quiet day in the cinema, and there were only five other people seated in the rows of soft red chairs when we took our seats. Dan liked front row, but Ian liked the back, so we split off into three separate groups. Dan, Hamilton, and Jonah sat in the front, I sat with Ian right up at the back, while Natalie, Sinead, Reagan and Madison sat in the middle. I wasn't complaining. I could be alone with Ian.

Coloured lights flickered across Ian's features as the advertisements began. I watched the reds and blues, greens, purples, and yellows dance across his face, giving him an ethereal air. The colours kept changing and moving, flashing, sometimes bright and cheerful, sometimes dark and gloomy. The expression on Ian's face, however, didn't change. He didn't look bored by the long trailers and promotions. He seemed almost calm, like the laid-back theatre made him feel comfortable. His body was relaxed and the corners of his lips were curled up in a faint smile.

I gripped his hand, entwining our fingers together, and lifted up the armrest between us so I could cuddle up against him. He placed a soft kiss on my head and wrapped an arm around me. We spent a half-hour like that, watching through to the end of the advertisements and the introduction to the film. Then we started getting a bit restless. It wasn't that the movie was boring – because it was actually quite interesting – but I guess we were excited, filled with bubbly energy. We didn't want to sit still. So when Ian went to the bathroom to stretch his legs, I slipped off my seat and lay down on the carpeted ground, hoping the state of it wasn't too revolting. I could easily squeeze under the empty row of seats in front of us, so I crawled around on the floor like a child, hiding under the seat.

I lay still for a few minutes, waiting like a lion stalking its prey. Then I felt a hand grab my leg and I nearly shrieked out loud. Turning around, I saw Ian grinning madly at me in the faint light from the large screen. I rolled my eyes and managed to squirm out the other side, now in the second row back. I knew Ian would follow, so I waited for him. There was barely any light, the scene on screen shifting into nighttime, and I had to squint to try and find my boyfriend.

Soft lips brushed mine and I closed my eyes, leaning in for more, but Ian pulled back. I reached an arm out to find him, and felt his leg sticking out from the next row of seats. I laughed into my arms to muffle the sound and followed close behind. In a few minutes time, we were right behind Natalie, Sinead, Reagan, and Madison, lying on the floor, of course. Luckily, the other people in the cinema were sitting in the side rows, so we didn't have to awkwardly ask someone if they could please lift their legs so we could crawl underneath their seat.

Ian put his mouth to my ear and whispered, "We'll stick our heads up under them and scare them."

I chuckled and nodded in agreement. Then we slowly, carefully pulled our way under the seats, rolling onto our backs.

"One... two..." Ian whispered. "Three."

Together, we stuck our heads out and peered up at our family, waving. The screen was a bright white and yellow, illuminating our faces. They all jumped, trying their best not to make a sound. They gave us an appraising look then burst out laughing, covering their mouths. At the same time, the few people in the room laughed at something that happened in the film, which gave them the perfect cover. Natalie kicked Ian in the head with her pump, and Sinead threw a piece of popcorn at me. We grinned our biggest grins then slipped back under, rolling into the row behind. We crawled our way up to the back row as quickly as we could, then collapsed on the ground in fits of silent giggles. Ian lay on his back, and I lay on top of him, breathing in the much-needed air. Another round of laughter hit me, and I had to burry my face in Ian's chest to silence myself. I don't know when, but at some point shortly after, I fell asleep.

* * *

Ian's P.O.V

As I walked out of the cinemas carrying a sleeping Amy in my arms, I received many odd looks from passers-by. Once upon a time, I would've refused to do something so beneath me – especially in public. Now, however, I couldn't care less what they thought. I would most likely never see them again, and if I did, I wouldn't remember their faces.

We came to a stop in front of two parked vehicles. Sinead's car unlocked with a flash of the headlights, and she hurriedly opened the back door. I expertly lay Amy gently across the back seats, placing a light kiss on her forehead while no one was watching. I pulled off my jacket and spread it over her shoulders, then silently closed the door with a light _THUD._

"I'll go with Sinead," I offered. "There's enough room in Hamilton's van for everyone else."

"Oh, sure," Dan complained. "Make _us_ squish up. Then you won't have to ruin you hair."

I rolled my eyes and pointedly messed up my hair. Dan seemed a little surprised, but shrugged it off and climbed into the purple van that once belonged to Eisenhower Holt.

Sinead smirked then nodded towards her car, and I sat in the passenger seat as she turned the key in the ignition.

"I'm guessing there's a reason you came with me?" She asked.

I nodded and turned myself in the small seat to look back at Amy's sleeping form. She looked so peaceful and content, and I couldn't help smiling.

"You really like her, don't you?" Sinead observed as she turned out of the car park.

Amy shifted in her sleep, rolling onto her side. "I love her," I admitted.

Sinead grinned. "I can tell. I think everyone can. Just like it's obvious Amy's always liked you, no matter how much she denies it. She even used to lie to herself when I asked her." She paused, then continued. "I overheard part of your conversation last night. And by the way she looks at you, I can tell she really cares about you and has a lot of trust in you. Just don't hurt her, will you? She's already suffered enough. She doesn't deserve any more pain."

"We'll always argue. Everyone does. But I'll never intentionally harm her," I promised.

Sinead nodded, understanding. "I know that, too."

I looked back at Amy and watched as she sighed happily, smiling at whatever dream she was having. Sinead glanced back as she waited at the red traffic light.

"That's the look she gets whenever she's thinking about you," she told him. "And when she looks at you, or talks about you."

Happy butterflies fluttered in my stomach, and I resisted the urge to grin like a lovesick maniac. She was dreaming about me?

We sat in a comfortable silence for a while, before Sinead spoke again.

"Why haven't you told anyone?" She asked. "I mean, about you and Amy."

I shrugged. "Amy didn't want to, so we turned it into a bet. We're going to see how long we can stay a secret."

"What did _you_ bet?"

"1 more month. If I win, she has to go dress shopping with Natalie."

Sinead laughed. "She'd hate that. What did she bet?"

"4 more months. She said she'd decide on her prize when she won."

"And do you think you can keep it a secret for that long?" She questioned.

I sighed and shook my head. "I have no idea. Amy always manages to prove me wrong. She always surprises me."

Sinead smiled. "I always knew you'd end up together. There's this… energy in the air whenever you're in the same room. Sometimes, I think the roof might blow off."

I gave her an odd look. "What?"

She shrugged. "You've got chemistry, and a lot of it."

I sort of knew what she was saying. Whenever I was with Amy, my heart seemed to beat a million miles per second and my brain slowed right down to a snail's pace. A fire burned high and bright inside me whenever her name came up in a conversation or when she stepped under the same roof as me, a flare of something that I long ago came to realise was love. Not the kind of love I had for Natalie, the sibling bond we shared. Nor was it the love I once had for my father and Isabel, which always seemed forced and hollow, almost meaningless. The feeling I had for Amy was one I'd never experienced before. And it was by all means much more prominent then any other feeling I've ever had.

"What about you and Hamilton?" I asked her.

She sighed. "I don't know. He's just so… Hamilton. He says one thing, then does another."

"So there's nothing… going on between you?" I asked skeptically.

"I don't know. I mean, he… he kissed me. When he arrived at the mansion, he kissed me. And since then, he's barely acknowledged my existence!"

I thought for a moment as Sinead turned the car onto the mansion driveway. We rolled slowly up the gravel path, stone crunching beneath the tires.

"I could talk to him?" I offered as she parked.

She shook her head. "No, that's okay. He's a dolt, and that'll never change."

I nodded and opened my door.

"But, Ian?" I turned to her. "Thank you."

I walked around the car to the other side, and opened the back door, carefully lifting Amy into my arms. It surprised me that she was still asleep. How anyone could sleep in a car for that long was beyond me, but I smiled anyway, and almost laughed. As I made my way to the front door, I heard a loud _SLAM_. Dan shut the van door with enough force to shatter my eardrums. The sound echoed across the large yard and Amy jolted awake in my arms.

"Wh-What?" She stuttered, gripping onto my shirt so she didn't fall.

I chuckled. "Hello, love."

Sleepily, she grumbled, "Put me down, Ian."

I obliged, gently placing her feet on the ground. The instant I let her go, she nearly fell forward, but my arms wound around her waist and pulled her back up.

"My legs are like jelly," she moaned, and I smirked at her expense.

"Do I need to carry you?" I asked.

Reluctantly, she nodded, and in one quick motion, I swept her off her feet – literally – and cradled her against my chest. Her arms wound around my neck and she shut her eyes as I waited for someone to open the door.

Dan ran over. "Why can't she walk?" He asked.

"My legs are numb," she muttered, blushing.

He laughed and opened the door, although he glared disapprovingly at me as I passed. He seemed to have a grudging respect for me, as though he wasn't quite ready to let his guard down around me.

As I stepped into the lounge room, Fiske hastily stood up, worry creasing his forehead.

"What happened?" he asked, as I placed Amy on the lounge.

"Nothing," she yawned, stretching out her legs. "Ow. I hate pins and needles."

"She fell asleep," I explained, "half-way through the movie. And through the car ride home."

Fiske breathed a sigh of relief. Giving me a pat on the shoulder, he walked out of the room. I sat beside Amy.

"Are you okay, Love?"

She nodded, then looked me in the eye. "Did you carry me?" She asked.

"Yes."

Her eyes widened. "Really?"

I nodded.

She whispered, "Thank you," and gripped my hand.

I grinned. "My pleasure."

She mirrored my grin and placed a quick thank-you kiss on my cheek. Then the rest of our family came in, and we quickly shifted apart, although reluctantly.

"So," Dan said. "What next?"

* * *

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**_To Be_ Continued…**

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* * *

**I started writing more of this chapter, then realised it would be a good 7000 words by the time I was done, and I wouldn't have it posted today. So, this chapter will be spread over two parts.**

**Is it just me, or does this seem rushed? If it does, please let me know and I'll try to fix it. Thanks :)**


	3. Eighteen Part 2

Amy's P.O.V

Truth or Dare.

Jonah and Natalie wanted us to play _Truth or Dare_.

I'd always thought it was a ridiculous game. You take it in turns to ask people questions that they have to answer truthfully, or dare them to do something humiliating. What was the point? We might as well play 'Never Have I Ever' and drink ourselves silly.

"Come one, Ames!" Jonah begged. "Please! We're even making Ian play!"

I shook my head. "It's a stupid game."

"It is," Ned and Ted agreed. "But _we're_ playing it anyway. You should, too."

"I don't see a point!"

Ian leaned down and whispered in my ear. "Please?" he asked. "For me? They might dare us to kiss."

I glared at him and sighed. "Fine. But only because it's your birthday."

Honestly, the thought of what could be a possible dare was what won me over in the end. I knew Natalie would be planning to get us together, and Sinead would probably encourage it. So I sat in the circle with the rest of my family – Fiske and Nellie excluded, of course – and tried to think up decent questions and dares.

"Okay, you know the rules," Jonah began. "But we're giving it a twist. If you don't want to do your truth or dare, you have to eat a whole tablespoon of Nellie's famous extra-extra-hot chili sauce. In one mouthful."

_Ouch, _I thought. That stuff is the hottest thing you'll ever taste. I had a tiny, sand-grain sized dollop of it once and thought my tongue was on fire for 15 minutes.

"And once you pick truth or dare, you can't change you mind," Jonah added.

"I'll go first," Natalie announced. "Hamilton, truth or dare?"

"Truth," Hamilton said quickly. "I wouldn't let _you_ dare me to do anything."

Natalie laughed. "Neither would I," she admitted. "Okay. Have you ever kissed a girl? As in, _you_ kissed _her_, not the other way around."

Ham's eyes darted to Sinead, then to Natalie, before he answered. "Yes."

"No way!" Dan exclaimed. "You never told me! Who was it?"

Natalie rolled her eyes. "Wait your turn, Daniel."

Dan huffed, and Hamilton turned to Jonah. "Truth or dare, Jonah?"

"Um… truth."

Hamilton thought for a moment. "Have you ever gone out with one of your fans?"

"Nope," Jonah grinned. "I find they spin around too much and tend to blow wind in your face." Before Hamilton could complain, Jonah quickly asked, "Sinead, truth or dare?"

"Truth," Sinead replied.

Jonah rubbed his hands together. "If we played spin the bottle, who would you want it to land on?"

Sinead blushed and turned her head down, letting her hair fall into her eyes. "Ham," she said quietly. Hamilton turned scarlet, but had a dreamy look in his eyes.

"Dan," Sinead said, trying to ignore her flushed cheeks. "Truth or dare?"

Dan grinned. "Dare!"

Sinead dared him to jump in the pool with his clothes on, even though it was pitch black outside. Dan, of course, gladly did it, then came back in dripping wet and sat on Natalie's lap, who shrieked and cursed Dan. She sure did know a colourful selection of swears.

The game went on. Ned admitted he still slept with a teddy bear, even though he was 21. Hamilton said he was in love with someone, then later went on to say that no, she didn't know. Natalie was forced to wear Dan's ninja costume, and Dan had to wear Natalie's dress – yes, the one she was wearing. That had been a funny sight. Jonah kissed Ted on the lips, and posted a YouTube video of himself singing 'Ba Ba Black Sheep', which had 50 000 views in 2 minutes.

"Amy, truth or dare?" Hamilton asked.

"Truth?" It was more a question then an answer, but I was slightly nervous. What if he asked about Ian?

Jonah said something in his ear, and Hamilton nodded. "Okay. Have you ever fallen for someone…" Confused, he turned to Jonah, who rolled his eyes and whispered something else. "Oh, right. Have you ever fallen for someone who betrayed you? Who and when and what did he do?"

"Twice actually. I have terrible taste in boys," I joked.

Hamilton raised an eyebrow. "Okay. Who, when and what?"

Without even flinching, I said, "Evan, over a year ago. He cheated on me." I said it in an uncaring manner, but briefly glanced at Ian. His fists were clenched and his eyes screamed murder. I gave him a look that said _calm down_, but it didn't seem to make a difference.

"Who else?" Ham prompted.

This, I was hoping he wouldn't ask. I hoped that, if I acted all nonchalant, they would forget about it, but unfortunately, they were Cahills. And Cahills were trained to remember.

I sighed and looked down, hoping they would take the hint. _I don't want to talk about it, _I thought. Sure, I'd forgiven him. But it wasn't a memory I liked to revisit, and I knew it would hurt him when I mentioned it.

Sinead knew about it, and so did Dan and Natalie, but everyone else looked at me expectantly.

"During the clue hunt," I finally said. "In Korea."

I looked Ian in the eye and saw pure regret. His fingernails dug into him palm, and I took his hand and pried it apart. His nails had broken through the skin, and four tiny pools of blood started running down his hand.

"Stop it, Ian," I said, pulling out a tissue and cleaning his hand. "Look what you're doing!"

He pulled away, ignoring the pain, and hid his hands. "I'm fine," he muttered.

Everyone watched us, their faces scrunched in confusion and worry. Natalie, however, seemed to understand.

"I'll go on?" she offered, and I nodded. "Ian and I made an alliance with Amy, Dan, and Alistair. Now _that_ was an eventful day."

Dan grinned. "We got in a ninja fight!"

"And we saved your sorry backsides," Natalie smiled. "Isabel… she told Ian to make Amy fall for him. Well, she did. And then we trapped them in a cave and left them to die."

It was quiet for a moment, until Jonah said, "Ouch."

I shook my head. "That was a long time ago. I've forgiven them." I turned to Ted, changing the subject. "Truth or dare, Ted?"

Ted picked truth, and I asked him whether I was light or dark. He was half-blind after all. In the back of my mind, I replayed the events that had happened in Korea, from Buffy biting Ian, to the moment Ian kissed me. I didn't want it to bother me after 4 years, but I couldn't shake that feeling of betrayal. I knew he loved me – he reminded me whenever he could – but it still slightly stung. How could you love someone then leave them to die? I shouldn't doubt Ian, but I was worried he might do it again. _What if he leaves me? What if he hurts me?_

_No, Amy, _I told myself. _Ian would never do that. He's changed. He loves you. _

My thoughts were interrupted when I heard Ian's voice. "Dare," he said.

I glanced around, confused. How far through the game were we now?

I saw Natalie grin triumphantly. "I dare you to kiss Amy. On the lips. For 1 whole minute. _And_ you have to make it look like you're enjoying yourself."

For a moment, I sat there, feeling a little clueless. Then what she'd said settled in.

"Wait, what?" I asked.

Ian glanced at me. "Are you okay?" he asked. "You look a little lost."

"I am," I admitted. "Since when was it Natalie's turn?"

Dan snickered. "For a nerd, you can be _pretty_ stupid. Have you even been paying attention?"

I shrugged. "Guess not."

"Hello?" Natalie called. "I just gave you a dare, Ian. You have to do it." She thought for a moment. "Actually, this is a joint dare. Amy has to do it, too."

"Is that even allowed?" I asked. Natalie nodded. "Fine," I muttered, turning to Ian. He grinned cockily and I rolled my eyes.

_Finally, _I thought. I'd been waiting for this dare for a while.

"Hurry up!" Natalie ordered.

I grabbed Ian's shirt and pulled him in, smashing my lips against his. My fingers got lost in his hair and he cupped my cheek with one hand and held my waist with the other. We didn't have to make it _seem_ like we were enjoying ourselves, because, unbeknownst to the prying eyes of our family, we actually _were_.

Ian and I kissed – or, as Natalie called it, snogged – for what felt like hours. Finally, I broke away.

"It must've been a minute now," I said, trying my best to look flustered, my cheeks reddening.

Natalie grinned. "It's been several minutes, actually."

I forced myself to be angry. "What? You were supposed to tell us when the minute was over!"

Dan shrugged. "As gross as that was, it was pretty funny," he laughed, typing something in his phone.

I scoffed, and didn't dare look at Ian. Not because I would stutter and blush like a cherry ripe tomato. I was used to kissing Ian now. Although he almost always made me nervous, because I was never sure what he would do, I wasn't the same person around him that I was a few months ago. I wasn't the shy, stuttering Amy, either. But everyone would _expect_ me to stutter and blush like a cherry ripe tomato. I had a part to play, and would play it to my absolute best, just so I could prove that a Kabra doesn't always win. Because in 4 months time, _I_ would win the bet.

"Come on, Ames," Hamilton chided. "It's not _that_ bad. It was just a dare. And besides, only Dan has a copy of the video."

My eyes widened. "What?" I demanded. "You _filmed_ us?"

Dan flashed his best grin and locked his phone. "Yep," he said, popping the _p_.

I growled. "Daniel Arthur Cahill, if you don't delete that video _right now_, I swear I'll burn every single thing you own."

"No you won't. Because _I _have blackmail!" Dan said gleefully. "In two seconds, the video can be sent out to every single Cahill I have in my contacts. Including Uncle Fiske, Nellie, and every other Madrigal out there. I only have to press three buttons, too, so I'd watch out if I were you."

My ice-cold glare would've scared Ian Kabra himself, but Dan just smiled.

"You better watch your back, Daniel. Because you never know what might happen when you're not looking," I warned.

"Oooh. Scary!" Dan said sarcastically, waving his hands around.

Ian shuddered beside me. "I'd hate to get on her bad side," he muttered.

Jonah laughed. "Ian Kabra? Afraid of a _girl_? That's a first."

"Can we just get on with the game?" Natalie demanded. "How many times do we have to stop?"

"Yes, please," Ian said. "Sinead. Truth or dare?"

"Truth."

Ian sighed, thinking. "I honestly have no clue what to ask."

"Just ask something you know the answer to," I suggested.

He smirked. "Whatever you say, Love… Sinead, are you a virgin?"

Sinead's shocked expression wasn't what confused me the most. It was the sharp intake of breath, and the way her eyes darted around the room, not resting on anything in particular. She fiddled with her fingers in her lap as she said, "Isn't that a little inappropriate, Ian?"

Ian shrugged. "It's just a question. We all know what it means."

"But… why bother asking that?" She questioned. "I mean, it's not exactly an interesting question."

Ian nodded. "That _is_ the point."

Sinead wouldn't give in, though. "But-"

"Just answer the question, will you?" Dan barked.

She sighed, her gaze briefly resting on Hamilton, before she looked down at her feet. "No," she whispered.

I was speechless. Everyone was. Her answer was completely unexpected, especially coming from Sinead, the kind, rule-abiding Ekat who wouldn't dare do anything to disappoint. She was just too… Sinead.

"Did I hear that right?" Ted finally asked. "Or is my hearing off, too?"

"Look, I answered the question. The rest is none of your business," Sinead growled. "Jonah, truth or dare?"

Jonah paused, watching her, his eyes full of uncertainty. "Dare," he said.

"Do ten star jumps," Sinead grumbled, clearly unwilling to participate in the game.

Jonah did his ten star jumps, then turned back to Sinead. "Truth or dare, Sinead?"

"I just had my go."

"And you're going again."

Sinead glared at him before answering, a triumphant smile on her face. "Dare."

Jonah mirrored her smile and said, "I dare you to tell us who."

Her face fell. "That's none of you business."

"Ah, come on, Sinead! We're your family! Who's gonna tell? Besides. I dared you to."

She shook her head, trying her best to keep her face down. As I watched, however, she involuntarily glanced at Hamilton again. The movement didn't go amiss to anyone, especially when they noticed the sweat on Ham's forehead, and the faint pink colour his cheeks had suddenly turned.

"Oh. My. God," Natalie exclaimed. "Hamilton?!"

Ham cleared his throat, looking anywhere but at the people in the room. That is, until Sinead abruptly stood and announced that she was getting a drink. His eyes followed her every move until she disappeared through the doorway.

That's when the interrogation began.

"When did this happen?" Ned demanded, clearly furious.

Ted looked just as angry. "Since when were you with my sister?"

"That's gross, dude!" Dan complained. "She's, like, two years older then you!"

Questions were asked, but none were answered. Hamilton looked just about ready to shrink into a hole and hide.

"Guys!" I yelled. "Leave him alone!"

Madison nodded. "You're giving him a headache."

It fell silent for almost 3 seconds.

"Really, Hamilton?" Ian asked. "A one-night stand? With your cousin?"

I looked at him, an eyebrow raised. "Who said anything about one-night stands?"

"I spoke to Sinead. She only said they kissed, though, then…" he turned to the Tomas, "you ignored her. You barely speak to her, now."

Hamilton's eyes were squeezed shut and he had practically curled himself into a ball. He didn't say anything. We all stared at him for a while, worried and confused. I couldn't tell what was going on, and the others didn't seem to be having much luck understanding, either.

"I'll go talk to her," I said quietly, rising from my seat. I took one last look at Hamilton before heading to the kitchen.

I found my best friend sitting on the floor, leaning against the counter, her knees tucked under her chin. In her hand she held a glass bottle, the contents a clear liquid. For a second, I thought it was just water. Then I saw the label.

"Are you drinking vodka?" I asked softly, a little incredulous.

She nodded. "I'm legally allowed to, so I don't see a problem."

"Oh, Sinead." I sat down beside her, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. I'd never seen her drink before, which only added to my concern. "What happened?"

She looked me in the eye, tears threatening to spill over. "He told me he loved me. It was when we first arrived, before you and Ian…" she trailed off, sighing. "I gave him something you can only give once, and he just… acts like I don't exist. He didn't speak to me for two weeks after, and then slowly started to talk to me. But barely. And he hasn't even looked at me in 3 months." She closed her eyes, taking a sip of the alcohol in her hand.

"It's hard, Amy. Seeing him everyday and not knowing whether he used you, or if he's just a pig-headed dolt. I can't stop thinking about him, and I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing."

I wrapped my other arm around her, letting her head fall onto my chest. "Why didn't you tell me? I could've helped you right when it happened."

"Because I thought he was just embarrassed or something. I didn't want anyone to know I'd… done _that_. I thought he felt the same. But nothing changed. I wanted to see if it would all fix itself. I guess I'm still waiting for that to happen."

I rubbed her shoulder. "I've seen how he looks at you, Sinead. He clearly loves you. You know boys. They can be pretty clueless sometimes. Have you spoken to him about it?"

She shook her head, a tear trailing down her cheek. "I feel lost," she whispered. "I've never had something I couldn't figure out. My Ekat is failing me, Amy."

It tore at my heart to see someone so strong be reduced to this: a curled up ball with a bottle of vodka. She was my best friend. I wanted to help her, but the only way I could do that was to get Hamilton to talk to her. From what I'd heard, though, that would be difficult. _Extremely_ difficult.

At least, I thought it would be until I noticed the bulky figure of Hamilton Holt standing in the doorway, his eyes wide with shock. I could tell he'd heard our conversation. His eyes practically screamed it.

"Sinead," I whispered. "I think you should talk to him."

She lifted her head and spotted Ham. After a second's hesitation, she nodded.

As I passed Hamilton, I hissed, "Fix this!"

* * *

We sat in the lounge room in silence, trying to listen in to the conversation going on in the kitchen. But we couldn't hear a thing.

"Well, this has been an… eventful evening," Natalie commented.

I nodded. "It sure has."

"Do you think she's killed him?" Jonah asked.

"Either that or their snogging," Natalie said.

I rolled my eyes and chuckled softly. The room fell quiet again, and for a moment, nothing happened. Then there was a soft _THUD _and the sound of glass being placed on the granite counter.

"What was that?" Dan questioned, fiddling with his phone.

I didn't answer. No one else needed to know that Sinead had just put down her bottle of vodka. At least, I was fairly certain that's what happened. As we listened, we heard two sets of heavy footsteps beating on the ground, then a door slamming shut.

"Okay. What was that?" Dan asked again.

Natalie smirked. "Isn't it obvious? They made up, and now…"

"Eww!" Reagan wailed. "That is _so gross_!"

"We totally didn't need to know that!" Madison complained.

I rolled my eyes. "They're both over 18. What did you expect?"

Dan narrowed his eyes, crossing his arms. "As soon as _you_ turn 18, Amy, I'm locking you up!"

I stuck my tongue out at him.

"Very mature, Love," Ian said. I stuck my tongue out at him, too.

Jonah interrupted. "Hey, Ian. Why do you call Amy that?"

He shrugged. "Habit, I guess. Like you call people dogs."

"Yo cuz. _Dawg _is different to _dog._"

"They sound the same to me."

I laughed, then yawned, glancing at the clock. "I think it's time I hit the sack," I said. "It's past midnight."

Everyone agreed and left, spanning out in different directions. I was left with Ian, who smiled and pulled me close.

"Well, _that_ was an interesting game," he said.

I nodded. "What was your favourite part?"

He grinned down at me. "I'll show you."

After a quick sweep of the room, he kissed me, softly and sweetly.

"Sweet dreams, Love," he said, and before I could bat an eye, he was gone, the quiet click of his closing door echoing through the empty halls.

* * *

The next morning, Sinead was the happiest I've ever seen her. And her smile was only _half_ the grin plastered on Hamilton's face.

From my place at the table, I was the first to see them walk in, hand-in-hand. Sinead wore one of Ham's oversized shirts proudly, and didn't seem to care that her hair was all over the place. Hamilton looked like he was walking in the clouds.

"I guess that's fixed, then," I commented, smirking.

Sinead blushed. "Yeah… I guess it is."

Reagan scowled. "Disgusting," she muttered, pointedly showing her revulsion as she stared at her brother.

Nellie walked in, earphones dangling around her neck. "Hey Kiddos," she said cheerfully. "Breakfast is in the kitchen." She looked a Reagan. "What's with the sour face, Reags?" Then she seemed to notice Sinead and Hamilton, who were practically on top of each other like they couldn't move too far away. "Oh… Well, good for you! Just don't mess around when the Kiddos are near."

"Nellie!" I exclaimed.

"Aren't you supposed to… I don't know, yell at them or something?" Madison demanded.

Nellie shrugged. "Nah. They're over 18. They can legally do whatever they want. _And_ I'm not their guardian."

Hamilton grinned. "So suck it up, sis!" He pulled Sinead into his chest and kissed her.

"My eyes!" Reagan and Madison screamed, hands flying to their faces.

Ned coughed, and looked away. "Well, that's awkward."

"All I see is a black smudge," Ted asserted. "I'm thinking that's what you're complaining about."

Ian looked me in the eye and winked. I smiled. Just your ordinary day of sibling rivalry. Add the name Cahill, and you've got yourself a soap opera full of secrets.

* * *

**To Be Continued…**

* * *

**It's a bit shorter then the other chapters, but I've been working on **_**another**_** story. It's called "When Darkness Falls, Love Shines Brightest", so feel free to check it out ;)**

**Tell me what you think of this chapter.**

**Thanks!**

**P.S: The 'T' rating is for, quote, "****some violence, minor coarse language, and minor suggestive adult themes." If anyone has a problem with the contents of this chapter, please check the rating before you send me flames.**


	4. Melody (4 Months)

**I probably should have mentioned this before, but the two section of the story (when Amy and Ian first started dating, and Ian's birthday) were two separate family visits. They try to all meet up once a month, and it was easier to hold their reunions at the Cahill mansion. So this is another trip – the third one.**

* * *

Ian's P.O.V

Amy was turning 18 in a month, and I had no idea what to get her.

She wasn't like Natalie; I couldn't buy her expensive clothes or shoes. Jewellery was an option, but that was way over done. I wanted to buy her something special, something _unique_.

When we found out we were going to Australia, Amy said she'd wait until then to give me her present. I knew Amy would have bought me something I would like, so I wanted to do the same for her. But I was terrible at choosing gifts, and usually just asked Natalie to go shopping for me, instead. But _I_ had to be the one to buy the present for Amy's 18th birthday.

Sipping a cup of tea, I flipped through the junk mail left on the Cahill's coffee table, looking for a suitable present. But nothing caught my eye. I didn't even consider the stunning Tiffany necklaces that were currently on sale.

"_Settle down with me. Cover me up. Cuddle me in._" Jonah's voice drifted down the hall from the music room, the gentle _PING _of the piano keys accompanying him. For a rapper, Jonah was surprisingly good at singing _properly_.

The music stopped for a brief second, then started again, from the beginning. But this time, another voice sang, more feminine.

"_Settle down with me. Cover me up. Cuddle me in._"

Stunned, I followed the sound and froze in the doorway when I saw familiar red hair. I had no idea Amy could sing, _or_ play the piano. I didn't know a lot of things about Amy, I realised.

_That'll have to change_, I thought, as Jonah took Amy's place and sang the next line of the song.

I leant against the doorway and listened.

For half an hour, I watched intently as Jonah taught Amy how to play the song. 'Kiss Me', I heard him call it. He said it was by a Janus relative, a well-known singer called Ed Sheeran. Finally, the pop star stepped back and nodded for Amy to continue.

She took a deep breath and started to play, her fingers gliding gracefully over the black and white keys. She began to sing, and I wouldn't be over-exaggerating when I say my heart stopped beating as the first words flowed out of her mouth.

"_Settle down with me _

_Cover me up _

_Cuddle me in _

_Lie down with me _

_Hold me in your arms _

_Your heart's against my chest _

_Lips pressed to my neck _

_I've fallen for your eyes _

_But they don't know me yet _

_And the feeling I forget _

_I'm in love now _

_Kiss me like you wanna be loved _

_Wanna be loved _

_Wanna be loved _

_This feels like I've fallen in love _

_Fallen in love _

_Fallen in love _

_Settle down with me _

_And I'll be your safety _

_You'll be my lady _

_I was made to keep your body warm _

_But I'm cold as, the wind blows _

_So hold me in your arms _

_My heart's against your chest _

_Your lips pressed to my neck _

_I've fallen for your eyes _

_But they don't know me yet _

_And the feeling I forget _

_I'm in love now _

_Kiss me like you wanna be loved _

_Wanna be loved _

_Wanna be loved _

_This feels like I've fallen in love _

_Fallen in love _

_Fallen in love _

_Yeah I've been feeling everything _

_From hate to love _

_From love to lust _

_From lust to truth _

_I guess that's how I know you _

_So hold you close _

_To help you give it up _

_So kiss me like you wanna be loved _

_Wanna be loved _

_Wanna be loved _

_This feels like I've fallen in love _

_Fallen in love _

_Fallen in love _

_So kiss me like you wanna be loved _

_Wanna be loved _

_Wanna be loved _

_This feels like I've fallen in love _

_Fallen in love _

_Fallen in love"_

For a moment, I held my breath, not wanting to break the spell I was under. Then Jonah grinned.

"Great job, Ames!" He praised. "You're a natural!"

I clapped my hands, taking slow steps forward. "I didn't know you could sing, Love."

Amy shrugged, her cheeks turning red. "Well…"

"She's great, isn't she?" Jonah exclaimed. "I can see it now. Amy Cahill preforming live, featuring Jonah Wizard!" He used his hands to emphasize his point. "Or the other way around. You should do a song with me, Ames. Great publicity."

Amy shook her head vigorously. "Thanks, but no thanks. I don't think I'd do well in front of an audience."

I chuckled. "I don't know, Love. You used to have trouble talking to _me_, but look at you now."

She shook her head again. "I don't think so. There's _no way_ I'm singing for a crowd."

Jonah shrugged. "Shame. If you ever change your mind, though, you know where I am." He walked out the door. "See you later!"  
"Thanks Jonah!" Amy called.

I sat beside Amy at the piano. "So, do you want me to kiss you?"

She threw her head back and laughed. "It's a song, Ian!"

I raised an eyebrow. "I'd say you do, though."

Amy smiled and pecked me on the lips. "Maybe later."

"Suit yourself."

She started to get up when I started playing, and she quickly sat back down. For a minute, she watched me in awe, and I let the music take over my senses, flowing with the song.

"What's it called?" she whispered.

Still playing, I answered, "A River Flows in You by Yiruma."

"It's beautiful," she sighed, as I played the last notes.

I turned to her, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Not as beautiful as you."

Amy smiled, biting her lip. She looked adorable, with the light shade of pink on her cheeks complimenting her pale face, framed by her bright red hair. Butterflies flew in circles in my stomach, and my heart beat faster and faster.

"Don't be ridiculous, Ian," she said quietly.

I cupped her cheek. "You're beautiful, Amy. No one could ever compare to you."

She rolled her eyes like she didn't believe me, so I made it my mission to convince her otherwise.

"You _are_, Amy. On the inside and out, you're the most breathtakingly gorgeous person I've ever seen. And you don't even _try_ to be. You just are." I kissed her forehead. "You're beautiful, Amy. _So_ beautiful."

My lips lightly touched hers as I held her face in my hands. I kissed her softly, sweetly, and even though it was slow and gentle, it felt like so much more then any passionate kiss we'd ever shared. It felt content, like everything was perfect in the world, and we didn't need to be anything more then just… us. And it was then that I realised the full extent of my love for Amy. It wasn't just teenaged hormones – heck, I wasn't even a teenager anymore. It was a strong, pure love that couldn't ever be stopped. No Janus masterpiece could ever express the emotions I felt whenever she was on my mind. No Ekat invention could ever compare to the brilliance of my feelings. No Tomas would ever be as strong as the fire in my heart that burned only for one person. No cunning Lucian could ever break us apart. And most of all, no Madrigal could ever create as much peace as I felt in that moment, as I sat beside the girl I loved. And nothing would ever change that.

When we finally did pull back, I smiled softly and rested my forehead on hers.

"I love you," I said.

She smiled. "Forever?"

"Always."

Someone coughed behind us. "That was cute," Jonah stated blandly. "But since when were you two together?"

I sighed. "Should we bother?" I asked Amy.

She laughed and rolled her eyes, turning to Jonah.

"Can you keep it a secret?" She asked. "Please?"

He shrugged. "Sure. But I don't see a point of you're gonna make-out in the open."

Amy glanced at me. "He has a point."

I smirked. "Backing down from our bet, are we?" I asked, tapping her on the nose.

"In your dreams, Kabra." She flicked a lock of my hair out of my face.

Jonah shuddered. "Eww. This is _too_ cute. I'm leaving now. Nice piano playing, Ian."

The moment Jonah was out of sight, Amy and I simultaneously started laughing.

"That was a… strange interaction," I commented. "He didn't even seem a little surprised."

"That's Jonah for you. Gangster, pop star, Janus, Cahill, confusionist," Amy said, shaking with giggles.

I snorted. "'Confusionist' isn't a word, Love."

She scoffed playfully. "Of course it's a word! I made it up!"

"Well, it does have a ring to it."

She crossed her arms. "Admit it, Ian. I'm a genius."

I shook my head and whispered, "Never," jumping to my feet. Just as I expected, Amy stood, too, and started chasing after me, circling around the piano. For a while, I kept a few paces ahead of her. But then I slowed down, just to see the triumphant smile on her face when she caught me. Which, of course, she did, pushing me to the ground and kneeling on my stomach.

"Admit it," she ordered.

I grinned and shook my head.

"Well, I guess I'll have to make you…"

"Some other time," Jonah hissed through the doorway. "Dan's coming."

She quickly climbed off me and thanked Jonah, that adorable blush creeping up her neck. Dan walked in just as we sat down at the piano, and I pretended to teach Amy how to play.

"Were you singing before, Amy?" he asked.

Amy nodded, the redness climbing higher.

Dan shrugged nonchalantly. "Cool. Well, I'm off. Natalie's dragging me to the mall. Since she doesn't have her license yet, _I_ have to drive her." He rolled his eyes. "Put 'ninja' on my tombstone, will you?" He waved goodbye, and a few seconds later, I heard the sound of the front door slamming.

"We can't catch a break, can we?" Amy asked, annoyed.

I chuckled, gently shoving her shoulder. "Maybe the weight of Natalie's shopping bags will squash your brother. There's one interruption gone."

She frowned down at the piano, her eyebrows furrowed.

"What's wrong, Love?" I asked, worried.

She grinned up at me. "Nice to know I can trick you."

I looked at her oddly. What was she going on about?

"I wanted to make sure I could still do that. Pretend to be upset or something. If I can fool you, then I can fool Dan. _That's_ how we can solve the problem."

I flashed her my infamous Kabra smirk. "Why, Amy. That sounds rather Lucian of you."

"I guess you're contagious," she muttered against my lips. "And I like it."

And then I had it. I knew what Amy's birthday present would be.

* * *

**.**

**. .**

**. . .**

**To Be Continued…**

**. . .**

**. .**

**.**

* * *

**Again, a short chapter. But this is a lead up to the next one – the **_**big one**_**. And if you don't get what I mean, then I'll give you a clue: **

**It's set a month after this one, in another country.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the songs 'Kiss Me' by Ed Sheeran or 'A River Flows in You' by Yiruma.**

**What did you think of this chapter? Let me know!**

* * *

**BTW if you haven't heard the song Ian was playing, then I suggest you check out this link:**

watch?v=1p_ebSseEq8

**Believe me, it's a hard song to play. It took me three years to "perfect", and I **_**still**_** mess up. Ian's one talented man ;)**


	5. Wasted Love Part 1 (5 Months)

**Yes, I said I wouldn't be able to write. But I stayed up late working on this, just so I could update. That A/N still applies (and btw, I did mention that I might write a little).**

**This chapter is set one month after the last (6 months after the first chapter)**

* * *

Amy's P.O.V

"Thank you for flying Air Wizard! Love me, and maybe I'll take you home!" Jonah's cocky voice drifted throughout the jet as we fastened our seatbelts. The landing was always my least favourite part of the flight. When you take off, it feels just like the start of a roller coaster ride; slightly nerve racking, but exhilarating at the same time. But after a long ride with bumpy turbulence, my stomach is never in the best shape. Especially when we start falling from the sky.

I gripped the armrests tightly, my knuckles turning white, and squeezed my eyes shut, trying to keep my breathing even. It was working for a few seconds, until a jolt went through the plane and I had to force down the contents of my stomach.

"Are you okay?" Sinead said beside me.

I shook my head, my eyes still closed.

"What's wrong, Love?" Ian asked. He sat in the seat in front of me, turned to face the table between us.

I couldn't answer without throwing up, so I carefully opened my eyes. At the sight of him being tossed sideways, my face turned a shade of green, and my hand quickly flew to my mouth.

His worried, amber eyes locked with mine, and I tried to hold his gaze. But with another jolt, my eyes snapped shut again.

I heard the _CLICK_ of a seatbelt, then someone sat down in the spare seat beside me. Ian held my wrist in his soft hands, and pressed down on a spot right below my hand.

The results were almost instant. Like a blanket of fog had been lifted, I suddenly felt better.

"How did you do that?" I asked, eyebrow cocked.

Ian smiled. "Acupressure," he said. "Works every time."

I sighed and leant back on the headrest. "Thank you," I whispered.

I don't know how long the descent lasted. I woke up what felt like hours later, my head resting on Ian's shoulder, sitting in the motionless plane. Ian was still pressing down on my wrist.

"Hello, Love," he said as I stirred.

I rubbed my eyes. "How long has the plane been sitting here?"

"About an hour. Everyone else is asleep on the reclining seats. Apart from Dan, of course. He's been glaring at me for a while now."

I laughed, looking up. From where Ian had originally been seated, my brother scowled at my head, which was still on Ian's shoulder.

"Hey, Dan," I said cheerfully. "Sleep well?"

He mumbled something about stupid cobras and idiotic sisters, staring pointedly at me. "Why are you sleeping on Ian?"

I shrugged, standing up. "I don't know. My head must've fallen. I'm going to stretch my legs. Coming Ian?"

He nodded. As we made our way down the isle, I turned back. "Dan? Are you coming or not?"

"No!" Dan snapped. I had to hold in my laughter.

"I don't think he likes me," Ian observed.

"Don't be ridiculous. He just doesn't like the idea of me _being_ with you," I said, rolling my eyes.

"He doesn't know, though, does he?"

I shook my head.

As soon as we stepped off the jet, a sweet, warm breeze tickled my nose. It smelled of pine trees, with a faint trace of salt. The air was fresher, cleaner, than I thought it would be.

"Welcome to Australia," Ian murmured, observing his surroundings. We'd landed in Jandakot Airport, a more privet landing area for Jonah's jet, and it was nowhere near how I thought it would be. I'd expected crowded skyscrapers, buildings, or at least a suburban area. Instead, I was greeted by fenced-off lots of yellow sands, bush land, and small, cement buildings that could've been sheds for small planes.

"Well… I guess they call it 'bush land' for a reason," I said carefully.

Ian snorted. "Love, this is a privet airport. It's about a fifteen minutes drive from the city."

I gave him a questioning look. "How would you know?"

"I googled it."

I rolled my eyes. _Trust Ian to know everything in advance. _

* * *

Dan's P.O.V

Everyone had started to stir shortly after Amy and Ian left for their walk. As soon as they were out of sight, I ran into the next room and peered out the window, watching them like a hawk.

"What're you doing?" Jonah asked, joining me at the window.

"Watching _them_," I grumbled.

"Okay, cool..." After a pause, he asked, "Why?"

I growled. "Because I don't trust that cobra with my sister."

Jonah nodded. "I can appreciate that. But I wouldn't worry. Have you seen the way he looks at her? I mean, there's nothing going on between them or anything. But seriously. He's like a lovesick puppy."

This only made me angrier. It wasn't that I didn't like Ian. Sure, he wasn't the best person to hang around with, and he could sometimes be a little stuck-up. But he was a different person to who he'd been during the Clue Hunt. He was less vicious, and I most certainly wasn't worried that he would slip poison into my toothpaste or something. But after all this time, I still hadn't forgiven him for breaking Amy's heart. I was okay with the fact that he's tried to kill us on countless occasions. It had all been part of the competition, and his evil, demonic mother, Isabel, had ordered him to do it. But toying with someone? Making them fall in love with you, then tearing their heart to shreds? It was inexcusable. And I didn't want it to happen again.

I'd always been aware of Amy's crush on Ian, and it was obvious Ian had feelings for Amy, too. I just didn't want to see her hurt again. Ian betrayed her, then Evan cheated on her. Call me overprotective, but I couldn't let that happen again. She was one of the only family members I had left, after all.

"Sorry, dude, but that didn't help at all," I told Jonah. He sighed and patted me on the back.

"Just don't mess things up for her, okay? Don't do anything I wouldn't do." He ruffled my hair, and I ducked out the way.

"What d'you mean?" I asked, confused. There was nothing _to_ mess up… right?

Jonah shrugged. "Don't muck up her life. If she's happy, let her be happy."

I narrowed my eyes. "Since when were _you_ 'Mr Wise Gangster'?"

He laughed and walked away, not bothering to answer my question.

_Fine, _I thought. _I'll give it a try. Just don't expect me to sit back and watch him use her again. If he tries anything… _

* * *

Amy's P.O.V

By the time we arrived at our hotel, it was five in the morning. But despite the early hour, and the lack of sleep the previous night, I was wide-awake.

There was no chance at all that Nellie would get me to go to bed. And she tried, and failed miserably. I was too hyped up to sleep. Either that, or I was overtired. Sure, I'd been to Australia before. But at the time, we were in a completely different State, and too focused on the clue hunt to truly admire the country. It'd been the same for every place we'd been while searching for the clues.

So now that I had the chance to travel freely, without any obligations, I wanted to make the most of it.

Wandering the streets of Perth city in the morning, I watched as the lights began to turn off and the sun peeked over the tall buildings and skyscrapers. I passed few people, and heard only the distant sounds of cars honking their horns. Unlike Boston, it seemed this city actually slept at night. Or at least parts of it did.

I'd only been walking for twenty minutes when I felt a hand touch my shoulder. I spun around, ready to strike, but stopped when I saw who it was.

"Hello, Love," Ian smiled down at me.

"Ian? Have you been following me?" I asked.

He laughed and shook his head. "I tried to catch up to you. It took a while."

I rolled my eyes and kept walking, Ian falling into step beside me. There was a comfortable silence between us for a moment, but I couldn't stand the quiet and was grateful when Ian spoke.

"You're 18 now," he commented.

I nodded. "So are you."

"I've been 18 for a while now, Love. You, on the other hand, turned 18 this morning."

"Your point?" I asked, eyebrow cocked.

He shrugged. "I don't have one. Other then-,"he spun me around so my back was to him, "-happy birthday." His hands brushed against my skin as he lifted my hair. Something cold rested on my chest, and I looked down as he clasped it behind my neck.

"It's a necklace," I said, lifting the pendant gently in my hand. It was a light silver metal, molded into the shape of a heart. There were no inscriptions, no engravings on the surface. As I ran my finger along the smooth metal, I felt a faint crack on the side. Using my nails, I pried it open and gasped. On one half, the inlay was a soft green felt, which bordered the tiny image that sat inside the frame.

"Where did you get this?" I asked in awe.

Ian smiled. "I have my ways."

The picture was of Ian and me kissing. It was just from our shoulders up, and in the background was the willow tree from my favourite park in Boston. It was perfect.

On the other half of the heart, two simple words had been etched into the silver.

_Love, _

_Always_

I looked up at Ian, a tear tracing down my cheek. "It's beautiful," I whispered. "Thank you."

He gave me a small smile. "Always."

I kissed him.

On the way back to our hotel, Ian's arm was around my waist, and I rested my head on his shoulder.

"You know, a necklace is usually a common gift," I pointed out. "But not this one. This is special."

I fingered the locket around my neck. It had been designed to look like just an ordinary pendant. You couldn't tell that it opened unless you gave it a close inspection.

Ian chuckled. "I wasn't going to get you jewelry, for that very reason."

"It's perfect. I love it."

"I'm glad. And before I forget..." he grinned and whispered in my ear. "You're a genius."

I laughed. "Thank you. It took you a while to admit it."

"I was thinking of putting it in the locket," he said.

I looked up at him. "Then why didn't you?"

"Because, Love. See what I did there? _Love_, always. It's your name - Love - but also the word."

I snorted. "Now who's the genius?"

"Hey, lovebirds!" Jonah called from across the street. He was standing outside the hotel, gesturing for us to move away from each other. I quickly let go of Ian and ran across the empty road.

"What's up, Jonah?" I asked.

He pointed up the stair that led out of the hotel. "People coming. Places to see. And Nellie _insists_ we go out for breakfast. We were about to come looking for you two. Dan's being paranoid."

I rolled my eyes. "Dan's only paranoid when he doesn't need to be. Never for the important things, like death threats."

Ian came up behind me. "Where's Nellie going for breakfast?" He asked.

"Just a cafe on the corner," Nellie called out, jogging down the stairs. "Where'd you two go?"

"For a walk," I answered nonchalantly.

She nodded, but eyed us suspiciously. "Okay. Lets go then."

She started walking away, the rest of the family trailing behind her, but I froze, seeing the perfect opportunity to spend more time alone with a certain someone.

"Actually," I started slowly, "I think I'll stay behind. I still feel a little woozy."

Nellie frowned. "You sure, Kiddo?"

I nodded. "Yeah. Is everyone going?" As I said this, I stared at Ian. His brow furrowed, his lips an adorable pout, confusion clear as day. Then he grinned devilishly, sending a sly wink in my direction.

"Yeah," Nellie said. "Everyone's coming."

"I'll stay," Ian offered. "I already ate."

Dan's glare nearly singed the hair on Ian's head. It was obvious he had issues with Ian, even though there was no need. "Of course you did," he muttered, not bothering to hide the contempt in his voice.

I sighed. "Daniel."

His gaze shifted to me, but I met it steadily. Even Ian admitted that my glare could make even the strongest man cower. And that included the Kabra himself. So it wasn't hard to imitate the anger and annoyance in Dan's eyes, tripling the intensity of our stare-off.

Dan grumbled something incoherently and spun around, stomping away.

Natalie raised a perfectly manicured eyebrow. "What's _his_ problem?"

Hamilton nudged her shoulder. "_You're_ his girlfriend. _You_ find out."

"I'm not his girlfriend!"

I rolled my eyes and turned my back on them, climbing the stairs. "See you later," I called over my shoulder. Ian followed me inside and into the elevator. I punched the button to our floor and gripped his hand tightly.

"Little brothers are frustrating," I stated matter-of-factly.

Ian chuckled. "As are sisters."

I scoffed, watching the numbers change as the lift crawled higher and higher through the core if the hotel. I knew Ian would understand to some extent – after all, he had a younger sibling, too. But unlike Natalie, Dan was protective over me. He watched every place I visited, every person I spoke to, every thing that I touched. He didn't want to see me hurt again. He didn't like to see me cry. In a way, I was flattered that he cared that much. But what Dan didn't understand was that I _needed_ to make mistakes, I _needed_ to be hurt. Experience was the best teacher. I had learned that the hard way. Everything that's happened in my life has prepared me for the future. Everything from the death of my parents and Grace, the betrayal, danger, and death during the hunt for the 39 Clues, the fear and confusion, the feeling of being helpless when the Vespers had kidnapped the people I care for and turned us into criminals in their near-successful attempt to destroy the world. All of these horrible things that had happened… in the end, it's what will help me move forward and pass every obstacle in my path. Even when Evan cheated on me, I knew somewhere, deep down, that I needed that experience. I needed to know what it felt like.

_This_, Dan didn't understand, and neither did Ian. They probably never would.

"Amy?" Ian's voice broke through my thoughts like a slap on my bare cheek. He was waving his hand in front of my face, concern etched into his forehead.

I looked around me in a daze, not quite knowing what was going on. It was like I was only half awake, and I wasn't quite seeing what was in front of me. The elevator had stopped, the metal doors held open by an Armani loafer. I stared at the shoe.

"Amy? Are you alright?"

My eyes followed the leg attached to the enclosed foot, drifting over a pressed polo shirt that fit snugly around Ian's body, the lines of Ian's firm chest clear through the thin material. For a moment, my eyes lingered there, a yearning churning in my stomach, before my gaze caught his worried stare.

"Love." Ian barked, the sound clearing my head.

I ran a hand over my face. "Sorry. I was just… thinking."

He looked at me like I was crazy, his eyes slightly narrowed with a careful expression, scrutinizing me.

"Come on," he said finally, leading me to his room. He sat me down on his bed and poured me a glass of water. I took a careful sip, tasting the cool liquid, before downing the rest of the glass in a single gulp.

"What's the matter?" Ian asked softly, placing a reassuring arm around my shoulders.

I shook my head. "Nothing. I guess I just got too caught up in my thoughts."

"You looked… well, out of it," he admitted, pushing the hair off my face and stroking my cheek.

I closed my eyes, leaning into his hand. It still felt like I was sleep walking. My eyes were slightly clouded, and my brain was fuzzy. And I had no idea why.

"We need to talk more," I said abruptly. Ian nodded slowly, and once again looked at me as though I was insane. "We do," I continued. "I mean, do you even know what I want to study when I leave school? Whether I'll go to collage or university? I don't know what _you_ want to do."

Ian shrugged. "I guess not…" He sat on the floor, leaning against the foot of the bed, and pulled me down onto his lap. "Why don't you tell me?"

I smiled, and the fuzzy feeling completely vanished.

For the next hour, we talked about everything, and nothing. We spoke of our dreams for the future, where we saw ourselves in five years time. I told him about the places I wanted to go, places that we hadn't visited in the clue hunt. I told him everything. And yet we didn't talk about anything Cahill related. Business, family feuds, all the things we usually brought up in conversation, we never once mentioned. And it was, in a way, the most relaxing thing I'd ever done.

"It was the worst rumour! I never _once_ hooked up with him, but it went all around the school!" I laughed. "You should've seen his face when he had to stand, in front of everyone in the cafeteria, and confess that he'd made it all up to begin with. The best part was, his girlfriend was there at the time. She knew it was just a rumour, but no one expected Mr. Popularity to be the one who made it. God, it was a mess."

Ian chuckled. "He must've been desperate. Although I must admit, I'm glad you _didn't_ kiss him."

I grinned. "Why? Would Ian Kabra be jealous?"

"Yes. Yes I would." He said this with a completely straight face, his tone serious. I couldn't help the laugh that escaped my lips.

"Of course you would. You're probably jealous that the rumour wasn't about you!"

He laughed, putting his hands up. "Guilty."

There was a knock on the door, and without waiting for an answer, Sinead flew in.

"There you are!" she exclaimed. "We've been looking for you everywhere!" She stuck her head out the door and called, "Found them!"

I quickly climbed off Ian's lap, sitting next to him, as Dan, Natalie, Nellie, Hamilton, and Jonah poured in.

"What on earth have you been doing?" Natalie demanded, hands on her hips.

"Talking," Ian answered casually. "Why?"

"_Why_?" Natalie fumed. "Because for half an hour, we've been running around this hotel searching for you!"

I snorted. "We were here the whole time. Did you bother checking the rooms?"

"I told you to!" Dan exclaimed. "But no one listens to Ninja Dan!"

I rolled my eyes and stood, offering Ian my hand. He hesitated for a moment before griping it tightly and allowing me to help him up. After a moment's silence and awkward stares, I cleared my throat.

"You going to let us out?" I asked, gesturing for them to move aside. Nobody moved.

I sighed and sat down on the bed. "Fine." I watched the group, eyebrows raised, with an incredulous expression. "Are you just going to stand there all day?" I asked, mocking. Someone shut the door, and everyone sat in a circle in front of me. "So… what're we doing tonight?"

Hamilton grinned. "Hasn't anyone told you?"

I shook my head.

"We're going to this club around the corner. I heard some guys talking about it. They said they played some sick beats."

My eyes widened. "What? I'm not going _clubbing_! And besides, Dan's too young."

Natalie smirked. "Yes you _are_. Dan, Reagan, Madison, and myself are staying here with Nellie."

"It's all sorted," Jonah nodded, "And there's no way you're getting out of it."

Beside me, Ian sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Whose idea was this?" He asked, trying his best to hide the bitterness in his tone.

"Hamilton and Jonah," Ted said.

"Ted and I aren't coming, though," Ned added.

I scoffed. "Why do_ I_ have to go, then?"

"Because. I'm blind," Ted stated, waving a hand in front of his eyes to prove the point.

Ned nodded. "And I have to stay with Ted."

I groaned, holding my head in my hands.

"It's okay, Kiddo," Nellie said cheerfully. "It'll be fun! You just better not get drunk."

* * *

**I am once again splitting this part into two chapters, maybe even three or four. We'll see. The story's about half done, so I'll try to get these up as fast as I can.**

**Did this seem bi-polar to you? Some parts are descriptive, others are slightly rushed. I swear, my writing style changes **_**everyday**_**. It's really irritating!**

**Okay… anyways…**

**Question: Which pairings would you like to see more of?**

**Tell me what you think!**

**~ bluester07**


	6. Wasted Love Part 2

**This chapter is for reviewer, SecretSapphire99. And it's Natan! (Or Danatalie, as some call it).**

**If anyone has anything they want me to add, just PM or review.**

**I must love you guys if I'm staying up past midnight to write ;)**

* * *

Dan's P.O.V

"I can't believe they're going clubbing without us!" Reagan complained.

"_I_ can't believe that Amy's going clubbing at all!" I exclaimed. "I mean, what's she going to do? Dance? Drink? Like Amy would ever do _that_!"

Natalie rolled her eyes. "She's 18 now, Daniel. Things are going to change. And she can legally drink in Australia. Why do you think Jonah picked this country?"

I growled.

I was still having trouble believing that Amy had actually gone. Jonah and Hamilton, I could understand. And maybe even Sinead. But Amy? The nerdy bookworm? _Completely_ unexpected. Sure, I knew Amy could protect herself, and Jonah and Hamilton were there, too. But Amy was my sister. No matter how much older she was then me, I needed to make sure she was safe. And that the Cobra didn't try anything.

"If Ian lays a hand on her…" I growled, letting the threat hang in the air.

"Oh, please," Natalie sighed. "Ian would _never_ hurt Amy. If I were you, Daniel – and believe me, that will _never_ happen – then I'd be more worried about the poor guys who flirt with her. Ian's very… territorial."

I scoffed. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"If you haven't noticed the way he looks at her, then you really are as daft as you look. He loves her. He'd do anything for her."

I let that settle in, a little shocked. Amy and Ian had always had a thing for each other, even when Amy was dating Evan. But it had only ever been a childish crush, or mixed up feelings. If there's a thin line between love and hate, then it's obvious how Amy felt about him. She was a good actor, I'd give her that. No one would believe that she still hated his guts.

"Daniel," Natalie said softly. "Why don't you forget about it? They left an hour ago."

"Yeah. I don't want to sit around all night watching you mope," Madison said.

"Or listen," Ted added.

"Come on, Kiddos!" Nellie exclaimed. "Let's have some fun! There's an arcade around the corner," She suggested.

"Yeah!" Reagan and Madison pumped fists into the air and jumped to their feet, jogging out the door.

Ned shrugged. "Why not."

"I'm blind," Ted reminded them. "Do they have anything to listen to?"

"Probably," Nellie said. She turned her gaze to Dan, her eyes narrowed. "This is the part where you run around the room proclaiming that your supreme ninja powers will thwart anyone in every game."

I shrugged. "I'm going to call it in."

The room fell silent.

"_What_?" Nellie asked, incredulous.

"I'm not going," I muttered, lying back on my bed, my hands behind my head. "There's a cool ninja show on in an hour. I don't want to miss it."

Nellie stared at me in disbelief. When I made no move, she sighed, her shoulders sagging. "Okay. But don't order too much room service. And keep this room clean!"

I nodded, flipping through the channels on the TV. With one last, concerned glance in my direction, she left.

As soon as the door clicked shut, I sighed, turning the TV off and throwing the remote to the side, not caring where it landed.

"That could've hit me," a voice said. I looked over to see none other then Natalie Kabra, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed against her chest. "If you had given me so much as a _scratch_ on this face, you would've been dead in a matter of seconds."

I rolled my eyes. "Sure, Snake. What're you doing here?"

"I'm not playing some ridiculous video game in a filthy arcade! _Disgusting_!"

"Okay then. What should we do?"

She sat down beside me. "I don't know," she said, the contempt gone from her voice. She sounded almost… kind?

"Why _did_ you throw that remote anyway?" she asked.

I smiled sheepishly and rubbed the back of my neck. "Sorry about that. I was just… annoyed."

"Why?" she prodded.

I let out a long heavy breath of air, leaning back into the headboard. "No offense or anything, but I don't trust your brother around Amy. And I don't think she loves him, either. You may be a Lucian, but I know my sister better then you ever will. She _doesn't_ love him."

_I'm not saying this to convince myself, _I coaxed. _It's the truth._

"That's not all, though," she said, confident that she was right. And as much as it killed me to admit it, she _was_.

"No," I conceded. "I… I guess I just don't want Ian to hurt her again. Or anyone, for that matter. After Evan cheated on her I've been a little more… cautious. _Trust no one_. That was the best thing anyone ever told me, and I guess I kind of took it to heart."

Natalie nodded and shifted closer to me. "You're a boy, Dan. You don't know what it's like to be a girl. Believe it or not, someone cheated on me once, too. Ian was there for me, but only when I _needed_ him. He didn't do anything brash. He didn't try to control my life. I need the independency that he gives me. Maybe you should do the same for Amy."

I looked up at her. Frankly, I was shocked that the Prada Princess and vicious Lucian who slept with a dart gun under her pillow, could be so _wise_. It felt like a dream. I never would have expected Natalie Kabra to be the one to help me.

"And besides," she continued. "Although you may _think_ Amy doesn't love Ian-"

"I _know _she doesn't," I corrected her.

She smirked and ignored me. "-I know for certain that Ian has completely fallen for your sister. He'd never hurt her. When he found out what Evan did, I had to stop him from buying a ticket to Boston. Because there is _no way _I will _ever _bail him out of jail. Especially if it had anything to do with his infatuation with Amy."

I scoffed. "And that's supposed to make me feel better?"

"Of course it is. Ian would risk his reputation _and_ Armani suits to protect Amy. Or in Evan's case, and I quote, 'beat up the scum that betrayed someone so kind and caring'. Ian's a lot of things, and not all of them may be admirable, but he has a good heart, and he knows the difference between right and wrong. Believe me when I say you can trust him with Amy's wellbeing."

I looked her in the eye. "You know," I said softly, "four years ago, I would never have believed a Cobra."

"Four years ago I would've pointed a gun at your temple," Natalie pointed out.

I chuckled. "You were pretty scary for a eleven-year-old wearing heels."

"You were _extremely_ immature. And you still are," she laughed. "But despite that, you can be… an acceptable companion."

"Thanks… I think."

She gave me a small smile, and for a moment, our eyes locked. I felt my face relax and my breathing speed up as I stared intently into her amber orbs.

"You… You care about Amy as much as she cares about you," she whispered. "That's all she needs from you."

She stared at me a moment longer, a flash of what looked like pain in here eyes, before she sighed and looked down at her hands. I thought she looked adorable when she bit her lip and played with her fingers. But something was wrong. The Natalie I knew was confident and strong-willed. Who was the shy, nervous girl in her place?

"Are you okay, Nat?" I asked, turning her chin up to face me. She hesitated for a moment, froze to the spot, before she nodded. And without a word, she slipped off the bed and walked out the door.

* * *

When Nellie walked into the room, my eyes still lay on the door, the last place I had seen Natalie. Why? I didn't know. But I couldn't help it. The moment she'd stepped out of view, it felt like something had disappeared from my life, like I was suddenly empty. And I_ hated _the feeling. Ninja Dan was tough, strong, and would never let anyone change that. But this Dan felt different. I didn't feel like a Cahill, just for a moment. I didn't feel like I was capable of keeping peace between the branches and keeping the dozens of daily threats at bay. As a Madrigal, strength and energy was in my blood, pumping through my veins. But my heart must've stopped working because I felt deflated.

"What's up, Kiddo?" Nellie asked, watching me cautiously.

I scratched my head. "I don't know."

She scrutinized me, her brow line scrunched, before grinning. "This has something to do with Natalie, doesn't it?"

My eyes widened. _How did she know?_

"Wow, Kiddo. I'm surprised it took you so long. Although you are Dan, of course."

I gave her a strange look. "What?"

"You like Natalie!"

"I do not!" I exclaimed. "She's just a friend!" As I said it, though, by stomach did excited somersaults.

Nellie laughed - a loud, hearty sound that echoed through the otherwise quiet room. "Yes, you do! You've liked each other for ages! Why else would she be sulking around by the pool?"

"_We've _liked each other?" I asked skeptically.

Nellie nodded, her lips stretching to their fullest extent. "_We _as in _You and Natalie_. You're nearly as clueless as Amy. Ha! See what I did there? _Clueless_?" She laughed at her own joke and slapped me on the back.

"Go on, Dan. Man up! Go talk to her!" She encouraged, albeit slightly forcefully.

I sighed. "Maybe tomorrow."

"_Maybe tomorrow_," she mimicked. "Like that'll happen." She shrugged and pivoted on her foot, heading towards the bathroom. "Your loss!"

The door closed with an enthusiastic _SLAM _and the spray of the shower sounded through the thin wood. I rolled my eyes. _Good old crazy Nellie, _I thought. _Just as sane as always._

For a moment, I contemplated what she'd said. Should I go out and find Natalie? I mean, I knew there was absolutely no way I liked her, but she did seem a little confused when she left earlier. On the other hand, I wasn't exactly _good _at interpreting emotions, let alone a girl's feelings. I probably had it all wrong. On the bright side, I wasn't stressing about Amy and Ian anymore. Unfortunately, that anxiety had moved onto another topic – one that had yet to be breached.

Completely against my will and better judgment, I found myself walking down the halls, passing closed door after closed door. It took a while to navigate the building, but I eventually found myself in a quaint courtyard. In the centre was a sparkling blue swimming pool, surrounded by deck chairs with umbrellas sprouting above. A bar sat to the side, and a hut for towels, but there were no attendants or guests. The only sound was a light trickling of water from the features in each corner of the pool.

I glanced around, thinking that Nellie had her facts wrong and that Natalie was somewhere else, when I heard a _TAP_. Behind a garden of bright carnations sat Natalie. She was slipping off a shoe, her other foot already bare. She laid down her pump and closed her eyes, leaning back on her hands.

"Natalie?" I called.

She jumped to her feet, startled, ready in a fighting stance. When she saw me, she relaxed.

"Daniel? What are you doing here?" She asked quietly.

"What're _you_ doing here?"

Natalie flicked her silky black hair over one shoulder, tucking it behind her ear. "I asked you first."

Without answering, I walked over, standing directly in front of her. For a moment, she did nothing but watch me curiously. She took a step forward and kicked a shoe.

"Ow!"

"I got it," I said, leaning down to pick it up. When I straightened and held out the pink heel for her, I swear she was closer.

She took the shoe from me and placed it gently on the bench behind her, next to it's partner.

"So…" I trailed off, not quite sure what to say. Luckily, Natalie spoke up.

"I'm sorry, Daniel," she sighed. "I should not have run off earlier."

I shrugged. "It's cool. I just don't know _why_."

She pursed her lips. "It doesn't matter," she mumbled.

"I think it does. You helped me. Now it's my turn to help you. Doctor Ninja at your service." I mock-bowed, pretending to take a hat off my head. Usually, this would've received a laugh, or at least a giggle. But she barely smiled through her tight lips. I eyed her carefully.

"What's wrong?" I asked gently, trying to keep the panic out of my voice. I held her face in my hands and made her look into my eyes, even though she tried to resist.

"What's wrong?" I repeated. "Jesus, Nat, you're freaking me out."

She seemed to choke back a sob as she pulled away. She walked backwards, but I followed. Behind her was a solid wall, and I quickly backed her up into it.

"Natalie," I coaxed. "I can't help if you don't talk."

As I watched, an internal battle raged in her eyes, and I once again wished I had paid more attention to Amy when she explained how to read other people's body language. I wanted to know what was bothering her, why she didn't trust me all of a sudden. We'd been close friends for at least a year. Why was she choosing now to hold back something I _knew _she was dying to say?

She opened her mouth, then closed it, then opened it again. _Speechless Natalie Kabra_, I thought, shocked. Natalie was _never _quiet.

She mentally contemplated a moment longer before I saw something in her expression, clear as day. She'd decided on something, and whatever it was, it was something she wouldn't usually do. She leaned forward and pressed her lips to mine, for less then a second. Then she ducked around me and tried to run away. Again.

But I grabbed her arm and pulled her back

"Don't," I said, shaking my head. "Not again. You did this once before. You kissed me, then you pretended nothing ever happened. You're not doing it again. Not without an explanation."

"We can't be together, Dan," she said bitterly, shaking my hand off her arm. "Not only are we in completely different branches, but our siblings are the _leaders_. It's wrong."

"People have _married _into other branches. There's nothing wrong with it at all!"

She nodded fiercely. "Yes there is! We're too high up in the pyramid. Amy and Ian can't marry, no matter how they feel for each other, because they have a responsibility to their family. And so do we. We're their successors. If anything happens, we take over. A Lucian and a Madrigal would hardly work, anyway. It doesn't matter what I feel for you. I can't love you and still fulfill my role in my branch. I need to help Ian. I need to run the Kabra business. _That's _my future."

I was speechless. And not because she'd told me we couldn't be together.

"You… you love me?" I asked.

Her eyes widened and she covered her mouth with her hands. "I didn't say that."

I nodded. "Yes you did. You love me, and you _still _can't put aside your responsibilities, even for just _one minute while on vacation_? You're fifteen, Nat. The only thing you should be worrying about is high school and _normal _teenager stuff. You don't take on that role as a Lucian leader for another six years – not until you're twenty-one. And no one – _no one_ – can tell you what you can and can't do. There are no rules about this whole branch interaction thing. And we're _not _getting married anytime soon. It's just an excuse, Natalie, and you know it. I _can _love you and do what I need to do as a Madrigal." That was when I realised I'd been lying to myself for months. I really _did_ love her.

She sighed. "God, this sounds so cliché."

I cracked a smile. "We're practically fiction anyway. I mean, look at us. Fifteen and we've been in more life-threatening situations than your average eighty-year-old."

"Why did you use _that _as an example?" she complained. Then she kissed me, wrapping her arms around my neck, tugging on my hair, and it was quite literally the best moment of my life.

* * *

"Nat?"

"Yes?"

"Do you still think we can't be together?"

Natalie looked up at me from her seat beside me. "I'm not sure," she admitted. "We'll have to wait and see."

I nodded, stretching my legs out on the bed. "And for now?"

She smiled. "For now, we can be whatever we want to be."

I gripped her hand tightly and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. "That's good enough for me."

* * *

**This may seem a little OOC in some places, but keep it in mind that this is set four years after the original 39 clues series. They're 15, not children, and they've been through a lot that hasn't been released in the last Cahills vs Vespers book (AND there's a third series coming out). I wrote this how **_**I**_** think Dan and Natalie would act. They haven't exactly been faced with this sort of situation in any actual book, so what's there to go off?**

**Okay. Rambling. Sorry.**

**Next chapter will probably be up in 2-3 weeks :( I hate school**

**Tell me what you think! (Do I always say this? Let's try something new).**

**Was it up to scratch?**

**~ bluester07**


	7. Wasted Love Part 3

Hamilton's P.O.V

"I can't believe it."

Sinead shrugged. "They're just dancing."

I scoffed. "Right. Because that's _'just dancing_'."

My gaze was plastered firmly on the couple on the dance floor. They're bodies were pressed together and they moved in beat to the music, glasses of God-knows-what alcohol sloshing in their hands.

"They must be pretty pissed," Jonah observed with a careless glance in the couple's direction. "I don't think they'd be doing that if they weren't."

I shook my head. "I just can't believe it. I mean, we all know they like each other. It's obvious, even for an idiotic Holt like me-"

"Hammy," Sinead swiftly interrupted with a caring yet patronizing tone. "You're not an idiot. Not everyone's an Ekat, you know."

I shrugged it off. "That's besides the point. Even _I _can tell they like each other. But I never thought they'd do… well, that!" I gestured towards the couple who, with their free hands, had linked their fingers and began twirling each other around.

"Amy and Ian have never been drunk," Jonah pointed out. "They'll wake up with killer headaches and no memory of anything that happened after their seventh tequila shot."

"They have had a lot, haven't they?" Sinead mused. "Especially in such a short amount of time. Maybe we should teach them how to drink properly."

"Too late now."

I laughed. "Just let them have their fun. I can't wait until tomorrow."

Sinead raised an eyebrow sceptically. "Why?"

"Because Dan's gonna freak," I grinned.

She rolled her eyes and gave me a quick kiss. My lips tingled long after she pulled away.

"Come on," Sinead sighed. "There's no point watching them make out. Lets get drunk."

I nodded. "Great idea, Sin- wait, what?"

I jerked my head around, scanning the throng of partygoers for Ian and Amy. I looked right past them and had to double back. If it weren't for Amy's pronounced red hair and the expensive gleam of Ian's watch as his hand rested behind her head, I would never have found them. Because, despite Sinead's proclamation, I still couldn't believe it.

Ian and Amy were kissing. _Kissing! _And very passionately, I might add. They looked like they were eating each other's faces. Their glasses of drink had fallen to the ground at their feet and, although the glass hadn't broken, an obvious puddle pooled around their feet, the coloured strobe lights reflecting on the alcohol in an array of hues. They didn't seem to mind, though. They were too caught up in their heated personal bubble, their lips locked. And it didn't look like that was going to change anytime soon.

"Wow," Jonah whistled, "they sure know how to hide it."

"Hide what?" I asked, confused. Although I couldn't tear my gaze away from the couple, I caught the warning glare Sinead gave Jonah from the corner of my eye.

"Their feelings," Sinead said quickly.

I huffed. "Whatever."

A small hand tugged on my arm.

"Come on, Ham," Sinead's voice whispered in my ear, her warm breath tickling the side of my neck. An involuntary shiver ran down my spine as I allowed her to pull me to the bar where I finally looked away from Amy and Ian's shadowed forms.

I gazed down at Sinead, smiling. "You know, they have a pretty good idea there," I murmured, nodding my head in the direction of the dance floor.

She grinned. "They do, don't they? But I wouldn't want Jonah to be a third wheel."

"I don't see a problem."

She looked behind her. Jonah had found a random girl and was happily dancing with her, his lips grazing against her neck. Sinead turned back to face me, a glint of amusement in her eyes. She picked up the glass that sat beside her and downed the contents. As soon as it was out of her hands, I captured her lips with mine, my arms wrapping around her waist and pulling her small frame onto my lap. She tasted of vodka and bourbon, her favourite drinks, along with something else, something sweet. _Strawberry lip gloss_, I thought, and chuckled internally.

We were interrupted, God knows how long after, by a giggling redhead, a tall, handsome boy beside her.

"Looks like _someone's _having fun," she slurred.

"We were," I said. "Not so much anymore."

I trailed my hand up Sinead's thigh and felt her shiver, despite the heat of sweaty masses of bodies around us.

Amy grinned. "Well…" she let the word drag out before continuing in her drunken stupor. "We were thinking. We should do something _fun_. Let's play a game!"

"Never have I ever!" said a voice behind them. Jonah appeared with a cocky grin, the girl he'd gone off with before clinging to his neck and trailing kisses along his jaw.

Amy clapped her hands together. "Yes! Let's play that!" She looked down at her feet, pouting, her head tilted slightly sideways. I couldn't help thinking she looked like a confused puppy. "What's 'Never have I ever'?"

I chuckled. "It's a game."

"What're we waiting for, then? Let's play!"

And with a gleeful laugh that seemed almost demonic, she skipped away, pulling Ian along with her. She glanced back only once to yell at us to hurry up.

I ordered a bottle of Smirnoff and 5 shot glasses, slapping down the paper money and carefully balancing the drinks in both hands as I followed Sinead to the back of the club. In a deserted corner, Amy and Ian were locked in a passionate embrace, broken only when I yelled at them. We settled in a circle, and I laid out shot glasses, filling each one with the clear alcohol. Jonah came over shortly after, having abandoned the girl, leaving her on the dance floor with another guy. He sat down, rubbing his hands together.

"Okay," he said, "who first?"

Amy's hand shot right up. "Me!"

Sinead shook her head patiently. "You don't know how to play, Amy," she said with a soothing voice. "It's simple. If you've done what the person said, you have to drink a shot. If you say something and no one drinks, you have to drink the shot. If you're thirsty, you have to drink the shot. The aim of the game is to confess all your dirty secrets to a group of drunk friends who probably won't remember it in the morning. Make sense?"

Amy nodded. "No."

"Great. Let's play. I'll go first." Sinead thought for a moment, then smiled. "Never have I ever felt up my boyfriend or girlfriend in a family member's bedroom."

Jonah cringed and downed a shot. I bit my lip and picked up a glass, tipping it down my throat while Sinead did the same beside me. Ian glanced at Amy, shrugged, and drank, too, handing Amy a shot of her own. I stared at them, my eyes stretched wide.

"You've done that?" I asked, incredulous.

Ian smirked but said nothing.

"Fine," I shrugged it off. "My turn. Never have I ever had a homosexual encounter with someone."

Again, Jonah cringed and picked up another glass.

Sinead giggled. "Really, Jonah? You kissed a guy?"

"I was drunk! And he was a cross dresser! You'd be surprised how many gay guys want the Wiz. I still don't know if that's something to be proud of, though."

Sinead was in hysterics beside me, but instantly sobered up when Amy reached out for a glass as discreetly as she could – which, given the circumstances, wasn't discreet at all. We all stared at her in shock as she poured the contents slowly into her mouth, squeezing her eyes shut as she swallowed.

"What?" she demanded, glaring with blood-shot eyes. "It was an accident. And it was just a peck."

Ian seemed completely astonished. "_You _kissed a _girl_? _You_?"

She sighed and rolled her eyes, a terrifying sight for someone who had consumed as much alcohol as she had. She had an almost psychotic expression. "Yes, _me_." And then, without warning, she perked up, and grinned from ear to ear. "My turn! Never have I ever had sex in the backseat of a car."

I snorted. "Amy, you're still a virgin. Of course you haven't."

"I said I hadn't, didn't I?"

I sighed and poured two glasses, one for myself, and the other for Sinead. At the memory of that night, heat rushed to my cheeks.

I slammed my glass back down as Jonah spoke. "Okay. Never have I ever had sex on the side of the road."

Again, Sinead and I drank a shot.

"Never have I ever had sex in a family member's room," Ian said, grinning coyly as Sinead and I drank yet another shot.

"Is there anything you haven't done?" Amy demanded, although she was laughing at our expense.

Sinead shrugged and thought for a moment. "I've never cheated on my boyfriends, never been pregnant, never been so drunk that I puked, never told my branch that I'm dating a Thomas, never eaten a meal in the Maldives-"

"Okay! We get it!"

I glanced at her sideways. "Why the Maldives?"

She grinned. "Why not? And now, it's my turn again. Never have I ever kissed someone who was tied down."

I grimaced and downed a glass, feeling my head swim. I was getting more and more drunk by the minute. _Man,_ my eyes hurt.

Jonah laughed at my expression. "Dude, slow down. And kinky. Very kinky."

"Shut up," I groaned.

Amy pouted. "I'm thirsty! Can't you ask something _I've _done?"

"You're annoying when you're drunk," I muttered. "And it doesn't work like that. Anyway, my turn. Never have I ever licked alcohol off someone's chest."

The drunken redhead's glare was ferocious. "You did that on purpose. Well, guess what?"

And then she did something completely unexpected. She ripped Ian's shirt off, poured the Smirnoff over his chest, leaned down, and licked it. Ian's eyes were as wide as a frog's, and he moved his hands around like he didn't know what to do. As I watched, Amy's mouth moved up to Ian's and she kissed him roughly, albeit only briefly, before sitting back up straight.

"Now I can have a drink," she smiled, and did just that.

Ian smirked and whispered something in her ear that made her blush. I suspected it was something along the lines of, _I'm thirsty, too_, or, _My turn_. I didn't know what was going on with them, but whatever it was I was going to find out. I'd ask Sinead later.

"Okeydokey!' Amy exclaimed. "My turn again! Never have I ever given someone a hickey."

And at that, we all took a glass and drank.

* * *

The music pumped in my ears and my head throbbed to the rhythm of the club, but it was easy to ignore. Because whenever I was with Sinead, all thoughts seemed to leave my mind.

"Hey, babe?" I whispered in her ear, planting a light kiss on her neck.

"Yeah?"

I bit her ear softly. "I love you."

She smiled up at me, and I was once again shocked by our height difference. She was two years older then me, 10 years more mature and responsible, but the top of her head barely reached my chin. She was short, petite, and sometimes seemed so fragile, like if I held her too tightly she'd shatter into a million pieces, but her personality was the complete opposite. She was motivated, strong-willed, and a force never to be trifled with – I knew from experience never to mess with Sinead Starling.

"I love you, too, Hammy," she said softly, planting a kiss on my lips. When she pulled back, her eyes, swimming with happiness, met mine. "Do you think we should go now? Jonah's looking pretty bored, and Amy and Ian can barely walk straight."

"How can you be so rational when you're drunk?" I marvelled.

She smirked. "Because I can hold my liquor. What d'you say, Ham? Time to go home? It's 2am, and I can think of something I'd much rather be doing then kissing you in a public place."

I blushed, but straightened my back. "Let's go."

Sinead laughed and rolled her eyes. "Boys," she sighed.

Just as we were about to search for our cousins, the music in the club stopped and the lights turned off, a blanket of darkness engulfing the room like thick tar. I felt Sinead's small hand slip into mine, squeezing tight.

"What happened?" she whispered in my ear.

"I don't know."

Her grip on me tightened. "Something seems wrong. Shouldn't there be more… noise?"

She was right. Before the lights had faltered, there were dozens of people on the dance floor, and just as many filling the various tables, booths, and bar stools. There should've been a riot, a chaotic mess of screaming people and bodies slamming into one another as they hurried to the doors. There should've been voices calling out for friends, the bar tender shouting out that everything was all right, to stay calm, but being completely ignored.

But there wasn't a single sound in the room, not even the shuffle of feet, or the heavy breathing of the massive crowd.

"What's going on?" I asked, lowering my voice. "Where is everyone?"

"I don't kno-" she was cut off with a strangled yelp. Her hand was torn from mine, and I surged with panic, reaching out frantically for Sinead's hand or shoulder, or any part of her that I could touch to know she was safe. I called out her name, my voice echoing in the empty blackness.

Then there was a blinding white light, and I shielded my eyes, squinting. The house lights were on, but the club was empty, void even of all furniture apart from the old, worn bar. I had to fight to control my breathing. My heart was beating so fast and hard against my chest that the loud _THUMP THUMP THUMP_ seemed to resonate through the room. I surveyed my surroundings, glaring into every corner, every nook and cranny, for any sign that someone, anyone, was there. But I was alone.

As I took a step forward, my footstep pierced the tense silence, and I froze. Nothing happened. I took another step, and another, making my way towards the open front door. Just as I was about to reach it, it slammed shut with a loud, clattering _BANG! _I tried the handle, of course, knowing full well that it would be locked. But it was a sort of reflex, like if I didn't check, just to make sure, then it wouldn't be right.

"It's locked."

I jumped, startled, and spun around on my heels. The voice was so familiar, but I couldn't quite put my finger on a name. My eyes scanned the room, but no one was there. Sighing, I relaxed my stance.

_Must be imagining it,_ I thought.

"You can't get out that way." Definitely not imagining it. I followed the sound, taking a cautious step towards it. At the same time, a figure moved out of the wall's shadow.

"Sinead," I sighed, relieved. "What happened to you? Are you okay? What's happening?"

Sinead grinned, a menacing smile that sent shivers down my spine. "What's happening? Well, you're stuck here, that's what's happening. You're trapped. And you're not getting out. At least, not without a cost." I realised why I couldn't name her voice. It sounded muffled, far away, slightly contorted, and with a chill, I noticed it sounded almost demonic.

"What cost?" I asked carefully. "What's wrong, Sinead?"

The noise that poured from her mouth was less of a laugh and more of a cackle. She licked her lips before she spoke again. "The price. You must sacrifice something that means the world to you."

"What do you mean?"

She didn't answer, didn't even move a muscle. It was as though she was frozen.

"Hamilton, you really _do _drink too much, don't you?" Another voice teased from behind me. A short, slender figure moved in front of me, blocking my view of Sinead's still form. "What will we do with you?" Amy asked playfully. "Wake up, Ham."

My brows furrowed in confusion. "What?"

"Wake up!"

* * *

My eyes flew open. My head was resting on a chipped, wooden bench, and a small trail of drool ran from my mouth into a pool. Someone was shaking me, poking their sharp fingers between my shoulder blades. I sat up with a groan.

"And he's awake," Jonah smirked.

"Was I sleeping?" I asked, my voice thick. "Because that was the weirdest dream."

Sinead peered over Jonah's shoulder. She nodded. "Only for ten minutes. We're going now, though, so you might want to get up."

I cringed. "Sorry. I didn't mean to fall asleep."

She shrugged. "I was sleeping, too," she admitted.

"Oh," was all I said as I stood up, the bar stool scraping on the floor. Sinead grabbed my hand and pulled me along, through the throng of the crowd, to the door. She pushed it open, and a fresh blast of cool night air hit my face, instantly waking me up from a daze. We walked across the parking lot to a white taxis. Ian and Amy were already seated in the back, pressed closely together. Ian's face was buried in her hair, and she ran her hands along his back, digging her fingers into his shirt.

"First thing first: I am _not _sitting next to them," I stated, looking onward in shock and disgust.

Jonah slapped my shoulder. "Dude, now you know how we feel when _you're_ doing that."

I scowled and pushed him into the seat beside Amy and Ian. I squeezed in beside him and Sinead climbed in the passenger seat. As the taxis drove off, I asked, "More importantly, though: why the hell is the taxis white?"

The driver rolled his eyes. "This ain't America, mate. Things are a little different in Australia."

I blushed, embarrassed. "Right. Chuck a shrimp on the barbie, right?"

He scoffed. "Americans. I've never heard an Aussie say that once. It's steak or snag, not shrimp. And only the rurals say that, anyway."

"Sorry," I muttered. An awkward silence fell, and I was more then happy when the taxis pulled over after a short drive back to the hotel. Jonah payed the driver, while Amy and Ian reluctantly untangled themselves from each other and climbed up the front stairs. I slowly trailed behind them, waiting for Sinead to catch up. When she did, I wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her into my side.

The elevator ride was short; my room was only two floors up. I slid a key card through the slot on the door, and a green light flashed as the door clicked open.

"So," I said, grinning, turning to Sinead. "Should I say goodnight, or are you coming in?"

Without another word, she grabbed the front of my shirt and pulled my lips down to hers.

* * *

**It took me about a month to finish this, and I should probably be doing homework right now, but you know how it is ;)**

**Did you like it? Does it need more?**

**Next chapter's back to Ian and Amy. I've had requests for Ted/Reagan and Ned/Madison, but I'm against them, or at least at their current age (15 and 21? A little inappropriate. No offense to anyone who's in that sort of relationship.)**

**xox**

**~bluester07**


	8. Wasted Love Part 4

**Here's the new chapter. Oh my god, finally, right? I'm really sorry this took so long (what, 2-3 moths or something? :/ oops). I've been really busy with assignments and exams and all that shit that comes with school. So here I am, doing work experience at a day care for the most feral children I've ever met, writing this chapter during my break. Thank you to everyone who has been asking about it. It's good to know that there are people actually reading this story and waiting for me to update. So I'm extremely sorry x**

**This chapter starts out as Amian, but kind of drifts into Natan. So, here's the long-awaited chapter 8.**

* * *

Ian's P.O.V

The evening went by in a blur. Music blared through a dozen speakers, as loud as it could be, hips swayed to the beat, lights flashed in a thousand different colours and patterns, pulsing throughout the room. Kissing, lots of kissing, hands wandering roughly, the bitter taste of alcohol lingering in the back of my throat. My head pounded lightly, and swirled through a haze. Colours, voices, blurs of movement.

And Amy.

She was always there, her fiery red hair cascaded around her head, soft to the touch, the faint smell of lavender mingling with the club's stench; sweat, alcohol, vomit, urine, and mould. Her pale skin glistened with the colours around us, the same swirl of lights reflecting in her jade green eyes.

She was always there. I never once left her side.

The taxis ride was easily unnoticed; the soft skin of her neck was much more tempting. The only regret was when the car stopped with a jolt, and I had to pull away.

My mind slightly foggy, ambitions and morals out the window, I stumbled up the hotel's front steps. I held Amy's hand tightly between us, our sides pressed together. We were the first on the elevator, and quickly pressed the up button. The moment the doors shut, Amy's back was pressed against the wall, her hands under my shirt, and my lips were on hers, hungrily taking the breathe away from her. My hands ran up and down her sides, squeezing her hips tightly as she deepened the kiss.

The elevator chimed softly as the doors slid open, and we pulled apart, gasping for breath. I hastily made my way down the hall, my arm around Amy, pulling her along. We were inside my hotel room in a matter of seconds, and I instantly pulled Amy towards me, kissing her passionately. She wrapped her legs around my waist, and I held her up, moving towards the bed. Her back hit the mattress without a sound, and she latched onto me, pulling my shirt off, her hands clawing my bare back. Her nails scraped along my skin, and some part of my mind registered the fact that I'd have long scratches marking my skin in the morning, but the thought quickly disappeared, like a wisp of cloud vapour, as her mouth moved along my jawline, a warm tingle in its wake. My hands moved to the buttons of her blouse, and I pulled them undone, tossing the thin shirt aside. My hands wandered to her back, about to unhook her bra, when I stopped, pulling back and peering down at her. It took a lot of will power, and was nearly impossible, but I removed my hands from her body and stared into her bloodshot eyes. Her cheeks were flushed red, from the effects of alcohol or their actions, I didn't know. Her mouth formed a small, adorable pout, clearly unimpressed that her body was no longer pressed flush against mine.

"Sorry," I whispered, stroking her cheek. "It's just… Are you sure?"

She nodded and wrapped her arms around my neck.

"You have to be alright with this. I don't want to do anything that makes you uncomfortable, love," I said, wanting to be absolutely certain she was ready.

She smiled softly, lightly. "Come here," she whispered, pulling my head back down to hers. She kissed me gently at first, but then began biting my lips, her hands roaming down to the waist of my pants.

"I'm sure," she murmured.

* * *

Amy's P.O.V

A loud banging woke me up, and literally pierced my head. It ached, throbbing harshly, and as I swung my legs over the side of the bed and stood, everything began to spin and a sharp pain racketed through my skull. I winced as everything came back into focus and stumbled to the door, pulling it open.

"Amy?"

I had to blink a few times to see who I was, but after a moment, what was a mess of colours cleared to show Dan's confused face.

"Dan," I hissed, "What do you want? I'm trying to sleep."

His eyes narrowed. "Why are you in Ian's room? And… what're you wearing?" He demanded, his voice rising.

I squeezed my eyes shut. "I'm in _my _room, Dan, and I'm probably still wearing last night's clothes. We got back pretty late… I think."

He cocked an eyebrow. "You _think_?"

"Well… it's a little blurry. And I don't remember much. And I think I'm going to be sick," I added as my throat tightened, my cheeks heating up horribly.

Dan studied me for a moment, his expression curious. Then it quickly changed to one of disbelief as he exclaimed, "You're hung-over! _You._ That means you were _drunk_."

"Ouch!" I complained. "Headache!"

He crossed his arms. "What did you do last night?"

"I told you, I don't know. And I want to go back to bed."

Dan shook his head. "Not until you've answered my second question. _What are you wearing_?"

I sighed and looked down at myself. And stared. And stared.

"What am I wearing?" I asked, astounded.

Then a door clattered open and Ian stepped out of the bathroom. His stopped short when he saw me. "Why are you wearing my shirt?" he asked.

"_What?_" Dan screeched, and I covered my ears with my hands.

"Dan!" I moaned. "You're killing me here."

He huffed, glared at Ian, then stormed off, slamming the door. I winced as it banged shut, and cradled my head in my hands.

"Here," Ian said softly, standing in front of me with a glass of water and two aspirin. I gulped down the painkillers and water in a single breath.

"Why am I wearing your shirt?" I asked carefully, half a whisper.

Ian blushed. "To be honest, I don't remember all that much. Except… Well…"

I bit my lip and looked him in the eye. "We…"

He nodded, unconsciously pushing a lock of hair behind my ear.

Heat pooled to my face, and in a flash, images of last night – or early this morning – ran through my head like an old slideshow. Hands touching, lips brushing, and a feeling so fierce, so intense, the memory of it stopped my heart for a beat.

I sat down on the edge of the bed, waiting for the effects of the aspirin to kick in.

"God, I'm never getting drunk again. My head _kills_," I muttered, massaging my temples.

"It's strong aspirin. Lucian formula," Ian said, sitting beside me and wrapped an arm around my shoulders. I leant my back into his chest and sighed.

"I think it's already working," I told him. The pain in my head was slowly ebbing away, and it felt less like I'd been hit with a grand piano and more like a tennis ball.

We sat there for a while, unmoving, silent. When the pain had completely cleared, I stood up and pulled on the shorts I'd been wearing last night, tucking Ian's shirt loosely into the waistband.

"Breakfast time," I announced, kissing Ian on the cheek and pulling him out the door, my sprits a little higher then when I'd woken up.

When I sat down across from Dan in the restaurant, he looked away from me, and instead glared at Ian as he took the seat beside me. He wouldn't meet my eyes, no matter how hard I tried.

"So, Kiddos. How was last night?" Nellie asked. Sinead's and Hamilton's answers were to groan. Sinead lay across three chairs, her head in Hamilton's lap, and Ham's head rested on the table. Nellie turned to me, raising an eyebrow. "What about you, Amy? Have fun?"

"I'm sure she did," Dan muttered angrily under his breath, loud enough for the whole table to hear.

I scoffed. "Dan!"

"What? You think I'll just accept it?" he snapped. "No way, Amy. Not gonna happen."

Nellie's brow furrowed. "What's going on?"

"Yes," Sinead moaned. "Please sort it out before my head explodes." She sat up and looked at me. "How is it that _you _don't have a headache? You drank a lot more then I did."

Ian tossed a box across the table. "Lucian brand."

"Thank you," she sang softly, pouring herself a glass of water.

"You were drunk?" Nellie asked me, astounded.

"Yeah, she was," Jonah piped in. "Extremely drunk. And _man _is she an annoying drunk."

I looked at him, startled. "Really?"

Hamilton nodded, swallowing some of Ian's aspirin. "Yeah, Ames. You were really excited over everything, and then you were suddenly glaring at us. And I mean serious glaring, because you had to wait your turn to have another drink."

I snorted, trying to be nonchalant, but I could feel my cheeks burning.

"And you were dancing," Jonah added. "For hours. And… you know what? I'm not even gonna go there."

My eyes widened. "What? What did I do?"

Sinead smirked. "I think you can guess."

"I starts with C and ends in asshole," Dan growled.

"Dan!" I scolded.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about."

I slammed my hand down onto the table. "I'm eighteen, Dan. I can legally do whatever I want."

"That doesn't mean you have to be an idiot!" He yelled, jumping to his feet. "I can't believe you did that, Amy. And you're still wea-" he broke off, but I knew what he was going to say. _I'm still wearing Ian's shirt_.

"Stop it, Dan," I whispered.

He shook his head. "I thought you were _smart_. You're the one who's supposed to yell at _me _for being irresponsible, not the other way around. Just… don't even talk to me, Amy."

And with that, he ran out of the room, leaving me shocked and hurt, frozen in my seat.

"Amy," Ian said softly beside me, resting his hand on mine on the table. I pulled away and stood, staring frantically after Dan, trying to push my way out of the cage of chairs around me.

"What happened?" Nellie asked.

I glanced at her. "Nothing."

I started making my way towards the door when a small, elegant hand rested on my shoulder, stopping me in my tracks.

"Leave him," Natalie said gently. "He needs to cool off. If you go after him, you'll only make it worse."

I turned to her. "I have to talk to him. You don't understand-"

"I do, actually. He spoke to me." She glanced at her brother, then back at me. "I'll talk to him."

I sighed and nodded, and sat back down without a word. My head fell in my hands. "God, he's a pain," I mumbled.

Ian chuckled. "That's younger siblings for you."

"At least Natalie doesn't yell at _you_," I countered.

"She saves her lectures for rare occasions. And you'll hear her when that happens, trust me."

Nellie sighed, exasperated. "Can someone _please _tell me what's going on?"

I looked up. All eyes were on me. Sinead, Jonah, and Hamilton were smirking. They must've guessed what happened. But everyone else was watching me expectantly, waiting for an answer.

_What do I say?_ I thought, panic washing over me.

"It's a long story," I improvised.

Nellie nodded. "We've got all day, Kiddo."

I cringed and let out a long stream of air. _Think, Amy. You can't tell them – not just yet._ I was tapping my fingers on the table drilling my nails into the soft wood. "I… I mean we… Well, we drank a _bit too much_."

Nellie stared at me for a moment, studying me warily, before she broke into a grin. "_That's_ why he's so mad? Because you got drunk?" She threw her head back and laughed. "Well, what did he expect? You're eighteen, and you were clubbing. Did he think you wouldn't drink or something? Just sit in the corner and watch?" She rolled her eyes playfully. "You're brother's _so_ naive." Her tone turned serious for a moment, an oddity where Nellie was involved. "Don't get me wrong, I'm disappointed in you. But I expected it anyway, even if you were irresponsible and whatever else Dan said." She was laughing again, then, wiping a tear from her eye. "Oh, Dan. He's too protective."

I forced a smile, glancing at Ian. His expression was neutral, his eyes giving away nothing, but I had more trouble hiding the truth then him. He was a trained Lucian, and I was far from that. I swallowed the lump in my throat.

"So," Nellie leaned forward on her elbows conspiratorially. "Just how drunk do you have to be to make Dan that mad?"

"Well, we started with tequila shots," Sinead said, smiling. "They dove at those. I was watching them _all night_, but I lost count at around nine. Then they moved on to cocktails. Amy likes her cocktails, don't you, Amy?"

I paled. "I have no idea. I don't remember a thing." It was partially true. All I could remember was walking into the club and wanting to run as far away as possible. But Ian's hand on the small of my back had stopped me, and I had pushed through the crowds with Jonah in the lead. I can remember the burn of the tequila scoring my throat. But soon after that, everything was a haze, with a few flashes of colour and light and sound here and there. The last thing I remember was early morning, when moonlight still spilled through the curtains and illuminated Ian's face as it hovered above mine. I remember the feelings, the sensations, the _wanting_. And Ian. I remembered him clearly, being with him. I could remember the moments I spent with him, in his room, inebriated and burning with lust and passion. I blushed at the memory.

Ian caught my eye and flashed his trademark smirk. Somehow, he knew what I was thinking about.

"Keep in mind that these two are light-weights," Sinead was saying, a huge grin split across her face.

I rolled my eyes. "Whatever. I don't even know what that means."

Hamilton snorted. "It means you get drunk easily."

"And quickly," Nellie added. I glared at her, but she didn't seem to notice. "Well," she said, "I'll come with you next time to make sure you don't _misbehave_." My stomach dropped to my feet. _She knows_, I thought, but then she started laughing, and I let out a breath I didn't realise I was holding.

I stood up. "I'm going to find Dan," I announced, and hurried away before they could say anything else. I had no doubt in my mind that Ian and I had spent the night at the club dancing together. And from the looks Hamilton was giving us, we had done a lot _more_ than dancing. I didn't want to be there when he mentioned it to everyone.

I climbed into the lift, which took me to our floor. When I stepped out, I heard voices down the hall, low and angry.

"I don't care that she's eighteen, and I don't care that he's changed. I'm still mad at her." I recognised Dan's voice and froze, pressing my back to the wall. "I just don't understand how she could've been so careless. This is Amy we're talking about. She's a nerd, not a slut."

I heard an exasperated sigh. "She's not a _slut_, Dan," Natalie said. "She's far from it. She let herself have one night where she could be carefree and not have to worry about her responsibilities. Yes, she was insanely drunk, which led to her having sex with my brother. But she's an adult now. She can do what she wants, and she deserves to have a little fun."

Dan scoffed. "I'm sure she had _fun_ with Ian."

I moved closer, my back against the wall, to get a better look. They sat in a corner at the end of the hall, leaning against the walls, half facing each other. Natalie held Dan's hand tightly in hers, and Dan's thumb drew circles over the back of her hand. My eyes widened in shock, but I didn't say anything. I'd never seen Dan and Natalie so… _intimate._

Natalie smiled. "Come on, Daniel. Don't be like that."

"Like what?"

"You know what."

His eyes met hers. "I'm just worried," he said softly. "I don't know if Ian hurt her or if she even _wanted_ to-"

"Dan," she said, cutting him off. "I know you don't trust him, but trust _me_. Ian would never hurt Amy like that, and you know it. I told you already. Ian loves Amy, and whether you believe it or not, Amy loves him, too. And I know Ian well enough to know that he would sacrifice himself to keep the people he loves safe. He would rather kill himself in the most painful, inhumane way possible than hurt Amy. And Ian's not the pushy type. He wouldn't force her into anything she didn't want to do. He would wait."

"But he was drunk," Dan muttered, looking down into his lap darkly.

Natalie reached out and cupped Dan's face, lifting his eyes back to hers. "Remember what you told me last night? That I need to be a teenager and not worry about my responsibility? It's the same for Amy. She's been through so much – we all have. But for Amy, it didn't start at the clue hunt-"

"It didn't start at the clue hunt for you," Dan pointed out.

Natalie rolled her eyes but continued. "Amy's had to look after you her whole life after your parents died. Can you imagine how hard that must have been? Raising _you?_ I would have given up-"

"Hey!"

She ignored him this time and spoke over him. "But Amy kept going. And then Grace died, and you joined the hunt, and your lives changed. Amy was probably out of her mind with terror the whole time, but she had to stay strong for _you_ and she had to think about herself second. She cares a lot about you, Dan, just like you care about her. And after the hunt, she was given the responsibility to run a whole branch that she knew nothing about. She's had to sit through dozens of meetings, write mountains of paperwork, and keep the peace between the branches – and you know how hard _that_ is. She has a lot to do, Dan. A lot more than most eighteen-year-olds. So don't you think it doesn't help at all when _you_ come in and yell at her for doing what a teenager _should_ be doing?"

Dan blinked and lifted a hand, resting it over Natalie's on his cheek. But he didn't say anything.

"Remember what you told me yesterday, Dan?" She asked softly. "_No one can tell you what you can and can't do._ If you can say that to me and mean it, then you can say it to Amy, too."

Dan blew a strand of hair out of his eyes. "I hate it when you're reasonable."

She smiled. "Aren't I always?"

Then something happened that I was _not_ expecting. They both, simultaneously, leaned forward, and in the next instance, they were kissing as tough they'd done it a thousand times before.

_I guess Ian and I aren't the only ones keeping secrets_, I mused, a little stunned. But still, I smiled, watching them a moment longer as their arms wound around each other and their bodies pressed together. I was glad Dan was happy – it was painfully obvious he liked Natalie. His eyes always shone whenever he spoke to her, or about or, and simply _looked_ at her. _Kind of like how Ian looks at me_, I thought as I turned around and went back down to the hotel restaurant to join the others.

"So," Ian said as I sat down beside him. "Did you talk to Dan?"

I shook my head. "No. But something tells me he's okay," I told him, smiling to myself. Nellie gave me a weird look, one eyebrow raised, and was about to say something when Dan and Natalie came into the room and sat down.

Dan looked over to me. "Sorry for yelling," he said meekly. "I shouldn't have overreacted. You can do whatever you want, and I can't tell you otherwise."

Natalie smiled beside him. "It's good to know Dan listens to _someone_."

"It's a rare thing," Dan admitted. "But I could get used to it."

"I have many methods of persuasion," Natalie said casually, admiring her nails. "And from what I know, they all work wonders."

Dan snorted. "Turning my words against me is _amateur_. And _so_ not fair."

Natalie faked a pout and leaned towards him. "Aww. Did I upset poor Danny?" She reached out to poke him, but he grabbed her wrists.

"_Dan_, I like. _Daniel_ I'll cope with. But _Danny?_"

"You have huge hands," Natalie commented.

Nellie laughed. "He does, doesn't he!"

"Look," Natalie said playfully, "They're twice the size of mine." She held her hand up with Dan's pressed against it. Where the tips of her fingers ended, the bottom of Dan's fingers started.

"Maybe you just have _tiny_ hands," Dan suggested.

She shrugged. "Maybe, Danny-o."

"Whatever, Natella."

Natalie's eyes widened, and for a second I thought she might slap him (which I probably would have laughed at). She leaned in and whispered something in his ear, and he blushed and grinned.

"Natella it is, then," he announced, clapping his hands together. "Natella Cobra."

Ian looked at me. "What was that about?" He asked, his brow furrowed. My hand itched to reach up a smooth it out.

But I said nothing, just waited and watched. If they were planning on keeping their relationship a secret, they were doing a terrible job at it. But something told me they were waiting for the right moment.

"You guys are so cute together," Nellie commented, her gaze on 'Danny-o' and 'Natella'. "There's something going on. Spill."

Dan looked at Natalie, his expression cautious. She just smiled and laced her fingers with his. The effect was instantaneous. A collection of gasps ran up the table, and I felt Ian tense beside me. Nellie and I seemed to be the only ones who weren't in shock.

The table was silent for a moment as everyone blinked, unbelieving. Ian poured himself a glass of water, his face slightly pale. Jonah was the first to speak.

"Amy and Ian, _that_ I'd believe," he said, and I blushed. "But… Dan and Natalie?"

Dan narrowed his eyes. "Why the hell does everyone _always_ bring up Amy and Ian? It's like a conversation starter. It's ridiculous."

Ian choked on his water beside me, and my cheeks burned. _Jonah just _had_ to say it, didn't he_, I thought. I gripped the ends of the table, bracing myself for another round of yelling on Dan's part. Sure, I'd heard his conversation with Natalie, but that didn't mean he didn't disapprove. And it really wouldn't help to bring up what had happened last night – or early this morning – after Dan and Natalie announced their relationship. It would make things confusing and awkward. Not only was I now lying to my family, and keeping secrets from them, but my boyfriend was possibly my future brother-in-law. _Weird_.

I was saved, however, by Natalie once again. She turned to Dan and lowered her voice, but I just made out what she as saying.

"Remember what I said?" She whispered. "Calm down."

"I am calm," he whispered back, his voice steady, his face relaxed. "I was just pointing it out."

She rolled her eyes and laughed. "Cahills."

I glanced around the table, taking in the various expressions of my relatives, ranging from shock, to amusement, to complete and utter confusion.

"Let me clarify something," Ted said. "Dan was angry at Amy because she was drunk, and now he's annoyed that everyone keeps saying Amy's and Ian's names in the same sentence. And Natalie and Dan are together? Remember, I can't see any of this. I just hear it."

The Holt twins nodded their heads slowly, baffled. But Ted couldn't see their gesture, and he just sighed. "Fine. No one answer me."

"Yes, Ted," Nellie answered. "Now what are we doing today, Kiddos? Preferably no alcohol involved. We go home soon, and I want to enjoy this three-day vacation while I can."

An eruption of chatter burst around the table. Numerous arguments over where we would go and what we would do sprouted up everywhere until it was like everyone was arguing with themselves. But I paid no attention. I didn't mind where we went, as long as I had Ian by my side. Despite the fact that we had been completely and utterly wasted at the time, Ian and I had still shared something special. He loved me, and he wasn't afraid to remind me, and that was more important to me than anything. My hand flew to my neck, clutching the locket Ian had given me the day before. I ran a finger over the smooth surface and smiled to myself. I may have had the most complicated family in history, but everything had its perks.

* * *

**I don't know if I like that ending :/ I think I might re-do it when I have time. But please tell me what you think x**

**I want to apologise again for taking so damn long to update. And apologise in advance because I can't promise it won't happen again, although I'll try my best to update ASAP. **

**I hope you liked it x R&R**

* * *

**P.S: I wrote the start of this story about two months ago, and I originally wrote "It starts with B and ends in asshole" But I can't remember what the 'B' stood for, which sucks, because I remember being really proud of it ;). So it's now "It starts with C and ends in asshole" and the 'C' stands for 'Cobra'. If you can think of what the 'B' could have stood for, _please_ let me know haha (like anyone will understand _my_ mind).**


	9. Always

Amy's POV

"You didn't tell them why I was _really_ mad."

I jumped, my heart racing in my chest, smashing against my ribs hard enough to bruise them. The door to my hotel room swung shut behind me. I glanced around the room and spotted Dan, sitting up on the bed, his arms crossed over his chest.

"Dan." I relaxed, my hand over my hammering chest. "How did you get in here?"

He held up a thin, plastic card. "Spare key."

I blinked, startled. "Okay, _why_ are you in here?"

He shrugged. "I wanted to talk. About last night. And this morning."

I sighed and slipped my feet out of my shoes, leaving them by the door, and joined my brother on the bed. "Sure. Let's talk."

We sat side-by-side, shoulders pressed together. I felt his intake of breath, and peered at him from the corner of my eye. He was staring straight ahead, at the door, when he began to speak. "I'm still mad at you. Not _as _mad, but… Amy, you could've been hurt. I know we've been through a lot, and we've been in more dangerous situations, but I'm brother, and, younger or not, I care about you. I don't want to see him, or anyone, hurt you again."  
"Dan…" I started, but I didn't know what to say. His tone was so somber, so much more mature than I was used to. It made me miss the old Dan, the annoying Ninja Lord who threw food at me and called me 'Nerd'.

"I know," he granted. "You're not weak. You can protect yourself. But that doesn't mean I won't stop caring."

I smiled, resting my head on his shoulder, and he wrapped his arm around my back. Sometime in the past few months, he seemed to have grown, and I hadn't even noticed. He seemed bigger than me, taller than me, _older_ than me. And again, I missed the little boy who ran around in a Ninja costume and collected tombstone rubbings.

"I hope you don't stop caring," I said. "Because Dan cares, even if he acts like a little kid half the time."  
"_Dan_ is right here," he joked. "And you can call me Supreme Ninja Lord, or get out."

I rolled my eyes. "It's _my_ room, Dork."

He laughed, and it vibrated through his side. "I know."

I breathed deeply through my nose, and let out a long, heavy breath, closing my eyes.

"Amy," Dan said softly, "You know what you did was stupid. You were all drunk, and there was no one there to make sure nothing happened. I was out of my mind with worry the moment you left; just ask Natalie."

I turned my head and peered up at him. "Why were you so worried? You didn't know what would happen."

He ran a hand through his hair. "To be honest, I was worried that Ian would hurt you. But I guess Natalie was right. I was watching him today. And you. He stuck right beside you all day, no matter where you went. If someone even _looked_ at you in the wrong way, he'd give them a glare that made them run away screaming. And when he wasn't guarding you, he was watching you're every move like you were the most amazing thing he'd ever seen. I never believed anyone when they said he loved you, but I do now. And I think I can trust him with you. Even if you slept with him."

"Well, it had to be with _someone_, didn't it?" I joked, nudging him playfully in the side.

He cringed. "Don't say it like that. That sound so _wrong_."

I laughed at his expense, but didn't say anything. I had a feeling he still had more to say.

He sighed. "When I saw you open Ian's door wearing his shirt, I felt like barging in there and chopping his head off with my samurai sword. And when you acted so casual about it, I got so angry. I shouldn't have shouted at you in front of everyone. It must have been embarrassing enough without having everyone else knowing."

"They don't know. I didn't tell them," I pointed out.

Dan nodded. "I know. And that's your decision to make, not mine. If you want to tell everyone, you can. But I'll keep it a secret if that's what you want, too. But I still can't believe you let yourself get drunk at a club full of strangers, in a completely different country that you know nothing about. And what if it hadn't been Ian? What if it had been some stranger? What if you were stuck right now, in some creepy house, with a random guy, and you had no idea how to get back here? I know I'm being ridiculous, but I can't help wondering what could have happened. I want to keep you safe, Amy. I can't let anything happen to you."

It hurt, knowing that Dan spent his time worrying about what might happen to me. I wanted him to be enjoying his holiday, having fun with Natalie and everyone else. And I didn't want to rely on my baby brother my entire life.

"I get that you want to protect me, Dan," I told him, gripping his hand hard. "I really do. But I need to make my own mistakes and learn from them. If you're always trying to keep me safe, then what happens when you're suddenly not there? What am I supposed to do then? I need to stand up for myself, and I need to do stupid things so I know what my boundaries are. That's something you can't teach me, Dan. That's something you can't protect me from."

He squeezed my hand. "I know. But that doesn't mean I don't want to. I love you, Amy."

I leaned up and kissed his cheek. "I love you, too, Danny-o."

He snorted. "Not you, too."

"I think it's cute."

"Puppies are cute," he told me. "That name is _not_."

I laughed and rolled my eyes. "Whatever."

We sat in a comfortable silence for a moment, looking forwards towards the closed door.

"You know you'll always be my baby brother," I told him, breaking the silence. "No matter what."

He smiled. "Yeah, but I'll always be a Ninja Lord, too."

The door opened, then, and Nellie walked in. When she saw us, arms around each other, she smiled apologetically.

"Interrupting the tender moment. Sorry."

"That's okay," I said. "I was getting annoyed at how tall Dan is now, anyway."

Dan poked out a tongue. "I'm taller than you."

I rolled my eyes and climbed off the bed. "You can give me that spare room key now. I don't want you getting in here without my permission."

He tossed me the card, and it flew through the air and straight into my hand. "I don't need a key to get in, anyway," he said matter-of-factly. "I'm a ninja. I have my ways."

"That's creepy," Nellie muttered. "You better stay out of _my_ room. Or you'll have a nose piercing to match mine."

Dan grinned. "Cool!" And ran out of the room.

"That was supposed to be a threat," Nellie told me, shaking her head.

I chuckled. "You can't threaten Dan."

She shrugged. "Yeah, well I can try. What were you talking about?"

I smiled. "We were just sorting things out. He's finding it hard to accept that I'm an adult."

"He'll have to get used to it, because there's no going back."

I nodded, glancing out the open window. The sky was still light.

"I think I'll go for a walk," I told her. "Is that okay?"

She nodded. "Go ahead. You can order room service whenever you get hungry. I'm going to this little café on the corner. The pasta looks amazing."

I smiled. "Thanks, Nellie."

When I stepped outside, the cool air slapped my face harshly. The weather seemed to have changed since yesterday, from hot and humid to cold and frosty. It wasn't as cold as winter at Grace's mansion, but compared to yesterday's heat, it was a sudden drop in the temperature, and a shiver ran down my spine as I walked down the half-empty streets. The sun was getting lower in the sky, and I knew I had about 30 minutes before it would be dark, but I knew the nearby streets surprisingly well, because we'd spent the day wandering around, looking at shops and boutiques, drinking coffee from cafés and listening to the live music acts around the city.

Nellies words were printed on my mind, like they'd been branded onto my memory. _He'll have to get used to it, because there's no going back._ She was right. Dan had no choice but to accept that I was not who I used to be, because now that I was eighteen, I couldn't turn back time and be a teenager again. I had no choice but to live with the decisions I'd made, and move on. If there's anything I regret in my life so far, there's nothing I can do about it. _I have to get used to it, because there's no going back._

I repeated this line, over and over in my head, my eyes on my feet. I watched my black and white Converse lift up and down, take step after step, as I moved forwards. Thinking, it seemed, was one of my worst enemies. Not only because when I over-think things, I tend to come to the worst conclusions, or at least confuse myself beyond understanding. But because when I was thinking, I wasn't paying attention. So that's why I didn't see the red brake lights flash, hear the screech of tires on the ground, and smell the burn of friction and rubber. Not until it was too late, and I watched as the silver car drew closer, the brakes slammed on, and felt the impact of the great metal hulk as we collided. The last thing I remembered before I blacked out was a pain in my hip. But it quickly faded away as I fell into darkness.

* * *

Ian's POV

I paced back and forth in front of the lounge, my feet hitting the ground with an even rhythm. I clenched my hands into fists, then stretched my fingers out, running them through my hair. I could feel numerous sets of eyes following me, following my movement, but I ignored them, focusing on the steady beat of my footsteps, trying to push down the fear threatening to take over.

"What's going on? Why haven't they called?" I demanded to no one in particular. "And why can't we go to the hospital?"

No one bothered to answer. I'd asked these questions a dozen times over, and they gave up trying to calm me down a long time ago. But I couldn't help the panic that sped up the beating of my heart. I was anxious. I hadn't heard _anything_. Nothing but a few simple words on the phone from Nellie:

_She was in a car accident. I don't know anything. I'll call you later._

That was it. Nothing more, nothing less. It was nothing to go off. I didn't even know if Amy was alive or not. _No,_ I scolded myself. _Don't think like that. Of course she's alive. You would feel it if she wasn't._

"You're yelling at yourself again, Ian," Natalie said. "Stop thinking the worst. Amy will be fine. She can get through anything."

"It's been three hours," I snapped. "How long does it take to find out whether she's okay or not?"

Natalie sighed, giving up. She'd tried already. Nothing she would say could calm me. Not unless I knew Amy was safe. _Why couldn't they give us a measly phone call?_ I thought angrily. Then I kicked a chair over. It didn't brake, but the harsh clatter was satisfaction enough. My sudden burst of anger had gone just as quickly as it came. I stated up my pacing again, knowing that there'd be permanent ware marks on the carpet, but not caring in the slightest about the hotel's maintenance. I was all but consumed by the need to see Amy, to know that nothing was wrong, that she'd have barely a bruise to show for the accident.

"How long does it take?" I asked, feeing the fear rising up, no matter how hard I pushed it down. I raked my fingers through my hair.

"If you keep doing that," Jonah said, "You'll pull all of your hair out."

I snapped my head around to glare at him, but he seemed unaffected by my fury. So I picked up my pacing again. I knew the patch of carpet well, now. I'd followed the same route, in a small circle, at least a thousand times over by now.

I let out a roar of frustration. "This is getting ridiculous. All I want to know is whether she's okay or not. All they have to do is ring, say one word, and-"

The door opened, and Nellie came in, looking exhausted. She stepped aside and held the door open, and in walked Amy. She didn't seem to be hurt. She didn't seem to be effected at all, apart from a graze on her elbow. Relief flooded through me, and as she stepped further into the room, I rushed forwards and enveloped her in my arms.

I breathed in deeply. She smelled like Amy, with a faint trace of that hospital smell that made my stomach roil. But I didn't mind, because Amy was safe. And that's all that mattered.

I felt her relax in my embrace, and her arms went around my chest, her hands locking together behind my back.

"God, you scared me," I whispered into her hair. "Never do that to me again. I've been going crazy in here. They wouldn't tell me a thing. I wasn't even allowed to go to the hospital. Do you know how terrified I've been? I didn't even know if you were okay or-"

A pair of soft, delicate lips on mine cut me off, and I bent my neck forwards to reach her better, my grip around her waist tightening. Her mouth melded with mine, and we kissed softly, tenderly, for a long time. I reveled in the feeling of having her safe in my arms, and I made sure she would stay that way, holding her against me carefully. When we finally pulled back, I rested my forehead against hers.

"Don't do that again. Promise?" I asked, my breathing heavy.

She smirked. "I can't promise anything. I'm a Cahill."

I sighed and pressed a light kiss to her nose. "I love you," I whispered.

"I love you, too."

The rushing of blood circling my body seemed to stop and speed up at the same time. Butterflies fluttered in my stomach, and I sucked in a breath. I looked into her soft, jade-green eyes, my heart skipping a beat when she met my gaze squarely, a linger of a smile gracing her features.

"Say that again," I whispered, grinning from ear-to-ear.

She smiled up at me, her eyes shining.

"I love you." Her words were like the wind, soft, gentle, quiet, sending a shiver racking down my spine. "I love you," she whispered again, pulling my head down to capture my lips with hers. I'd kissed Amy dozens of times before, but none of them had been like this kiss. My insides were twisted in a tangle of knots, and my throat was tight, constricted. But I deepened the kiss anyway, pressing our bodies together as though we were one. I felt a familiar tug in my stomach, a lustful longing to get even closer to Amy, to consume the fire in her heart, just as she does to me. But still, the kiss was gentle, even if a little rushed. Our entwined lips, our synchronized tongues, the deep moans that threatened to erupt from our mouths – each and every action we made together held so much passion, so much meaning. So much love.

Her hand reached up to twine in my hair when someone spoke behind us.

"Okay, what the hell is going on?"

My eyes widened, and I drew back slightly, turning my head towards the couch full of people. I'd forgotten we had an audience, but didn't seem to care a great deal.

"Shit," Nellie said, eyes wide. "That was…"

"Intense?" Jonah offered, and Nellie's red and blue hair swayed as she nodded.

"So?" Dan demanded, his cheeks flushed. Not with anger, I realised, but confusion and frustration, and possibly embarrassment. "You two want to explain?"

Sinead snorted. "How long was that? 6 months?"

"I won," Amy grinned.

"What's going on?" Ted asked. "I can't see."

"This explains so much," Hamilton muttered.

"I'm still confused," Dan said.

I let out a short burst of laughter. "Please stop talking before there are far too many questions to answer. Let's just go with the basics, shall we?"

Amy and I explained, in as little words as we could, that we had been a relationship for six months but had wanted to keep it a secret because of the bet. It took all of two minutes, longer than I had anticipated, but I was glad it was over, and the secret was finally out. It would make everything so much easier.

"So I win. I beat you," Amy said, sticking out her tongue.

I rolled my eyes. "One time, love. Let's not make a habit of it."

"I'm still confused," Dan said. "You could've told me. Maybe I wouldn't have been so mad if I'd known what was going on."

Amy turned in my arms and looked at him, eyebrow cocked, smirking. "You still would've been angry, Dan."

"True," Dan admitted. "But I would've understood."

"What I can't believe," Jonah exclaimed, "is that we kept it a secret for so long. I mean, I almost gave it away. Sinead nearly told Hamilton."

Sinead's grin was almost psychedelic. "That must mean they were in it for the prize. What do you win, Amy?"

Amy's eyes met mine. "Whatever I want."

"I'm going to regret this, aren't I?" I sighed, scratching my head.

Amy nodded, her eyes fluttering shut as she leaned into my chest, burying her head in the crook of my neck. She yawned, the sound muffled by my shirt.

"You need to rest, Amy," I told her. "You just got out of hospital."

"I nearly forgot," she admitted. I chuckled and kissed her hair.

"Alright. Clear out," Nellie commanded. "It's late, and I'm tired. Time for bed."

She held the door open and rushed everyone out of the room while I lead Amy to the bed. I took her shoes off and pulled the blankets over her, and knelt on the ground beside her, stroking her hair. Nellie sat on the edge of the bed and smiled.

"You really love her, don't you?" She asked softly.

"He better," Amy grumbled into her pillow.

I smiled and nodded. "'Love, Always'," I quoted from the inscription on Amy's necklace, smoothing her red hair off her face. I saw her reach up and grip the locket against her chest, her eyes still shut.

Nellie watched us for a moment longer, her gaze curious and adoring. Then she stood and waved goodnight. I pulled myself to my feet and moved to follow her when Amy's hand reached out and wrapped around my wrist, pulling me back.

"Don't leave me," she whispered.

I glanced at door where Nellie had paused to look back, then I looked down at Amy's resting form.

"Okay," I murmured, and slipped my shoes off to climb into the bed beside her. When I laid down, she rolled into my arms, cuddling into my chest. I heard the door click softly as it closed, and held Amy tightly.

"Goodnight, Love," I breathed into the night, but she was already asleep.

* * *

**This is the second-last chapter of this story. I plan on one more, the Epilogue, where there's one more person to find out about their relationship. I hope you liked this chapter.**

**R&R x**

* * *

**I just want to put it out there that T rated FanFiction is, quote, "****Suitable for teens, 13 years and older, with some violence, minor coarse language, and minor suggestive adult themes." (That's right out of the Rules & Guidelines). So, for my own intents and purposes, I think I should point this out:**

**Read The Rating**** (It happens to be a T)**


	10. Epilogue

_**Epilogue**_

**Amy's P.O.V**

Everyone was crowded in the CCC, perched on the desk or slouched against the wall, sitting on a chair or the floor. I sat beside Ian on the small lounge, watching the argument from a distance, not bothering to put in my ideas and opinions.

"Why don't we just go for a swim?" Dan asked for the umpteenth time.

"Because," Natalie sighed with exasperation, "I just had my hair done."

"Come on, Natella. Your hair has other chances."

"So does the pool."

"Why don't we watch a movie?" Sinead suggested.

Hamilton fanned himself with his hand, imitating Natalie. "Because," he said, "It's too hot."

"I vote pool!" Reagan shouted, but her sister, Madison, shook her head.

"I want to play football. The weather's perfect for it," she said.

I sighed and rolled my eyes. _Cahill antics_, I thought, knowing the argument could go on until the sun went down.

"Well, not everyone can play football," Jonah pointed out. "I mean, _I_ can. But some people can't. You're brothers girlfriend, for instance."

"I can play football!" Sinead argued. "I'm just not very good at it."

"It seems more reasonable in this weather to stay inside," Ted said. "Unless you're willing to cover your skin entirely. The sun's current radiation is high, and although sunblock may be enough protection, there would be less risk of sunburn if you're not exposed to the sun's heat at all."

Natalie rolled her eyes. "Thank you, Mr. Wikipedia."

"Actually, that's quoted from-"

"It doesn't matter!" Dan interrupted. "I want to swim! And it would be more fun if _everyone_ was swimming."

"Dan," Natalie said, placing a hand on his arm. "Think about my hair."

Dan looked at Natalie with puppy-dog eyes and pouted. "Please?" he begged, stepping towards her and kissing her nose. "Please, please, _please_." He kissed her all over her face until she was flushing red with embarrassment and gave in, throwing her hands in the air.

"Alright. Fine," she sighed. "But you can pay for my next appointment."

Dan grinned at her and pulled her in for a quick kiss.

I smiled, wondering when on earth Daniel Cahill had turned into such a romantic, and I couldn't help feeling happy for him. He'd lost too much already, and I knew he would only lose more. I was relieved that he was able to open his heart to someone, to love someone like I loved Ian. It meant I could stop worrying about him; he had Natalie, and I doubt he would ever let her go.

When the ridiculous argument continued, though, I turned away from them and looked at Ian.

"They don't shut up, do they?" I asked.

He gave me a crooked grin. "Of course not. They're Cahills."

"They could agree on _something,_ though."

He lowered his head conspiratorially. "We could _make _them agree."

And before I could answer, he was kissing me roughly, pushing me against the back of the couch and crawling over my lap. But I didn't hesitate, or push him back. I latched on to him, winding my hands behind his neck and pulling him down towards me. He hovered over me, his hands on either side of my body, holding himself up. I quickly caught onto his idea and arched my back into him, groaning with pleasure, and although it helped with the plan, it wasn't entirely intentional, either.

"Eww!" Dan exclaimed, throwing a pencil our way.

Ian pulled only his lips away from mine and turned his head to face the group. "If you don't agree on something in the next ten seconds, we'll keep going," he threatened, smirking like it was the most fun he'd had in years. I choked back a laugh.

"Alright," Madison sighed. "Pool it is."

Dan pumped a fist in the air. "Let's go!" They began filing out the room, stomping their feet on the hard floor.

My body was still against Ian's, and I could feel the heat coming off him in wisps of energy, encircling me in a fuzzy warmth. I flipped him over, moving so I was on his lap, and stared down at him.

"Hey, lovebirds," Dan chortled. "We're going swimming!"

I glanced over at Dan, then looked back at Ian and met his eyes. His gaze was like an intense flame of light, like he not only saw what was on the outside, but what was inside of me, too. Something in his expression turned the butterflies in my stomach into angry wasps, and I felt my gut clench with a burning desire. His eyes seemed to hold a promise: that no matter what happened, no matter what came between us, he'd always love me no matter what. He'd always come back to me. He'd always be there to keep me safe, no matter the time or the place. He'd do anything, _be_ anything, for me. It sparked something inside of me, and I knew then that I should never have held back, never denied that I loved him. I should have said the words months ago, when he'd said them to me first. I could feel it in my chest, in my heart, in my soul, in my _entire being_, that my love for him ran deeper than words, deeper than blood, deeper than this all-consuming feeling of passion. It was stronger than that. It was unbreakable. It was _always_.

I was completely and irrevocably in love with Ian Kabra.

Without glancing at Dan, I called, "We'll be a minute," and before Dan could reply, Ian's mouth was already on mine.

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**Fiske's P.O.V**

It felt good to be home again. Business had taken me all over the world for the past few months, and I'd barely seen Amy, Dan, and Nellie in the few times I'd returned home. I've had minimal sleep and rushed meals, and the only time I've been able to sit down for more than a moment was when I was travelling, and even then I'd be thinking about branch relations and whatnot. I knew that everyone had just flown back from Australia a few days ago, and from what Nellie had told me, they were still coming down from the high of the holiday, an adventure without the looming threat of the Vespers or the Clue Hunt. I expected them to all be tired and lounging around the house, or in some cases, wrecking havoc in a way only Cahills could.

So when I stepped through the front door, I fully expected to be bombarded by a mass of noise, perhaps even some arguing, or at least the blare of the television. But there was no one in sight. The mansion was eerily silent, and when I called out, no reply came.

There were only three places I assumed they would be: by the pool, in the Cahill Command Centre, or out, at the mall, perhaps, or the cinemas. After I discarded my suitcase and coat in my room, I decided to check the nearest place. I climbed a set of stairs and turned a corner, coming to a stop at a thick black door with no handle and no visible keyhole. I pressed my thumb to the door, and a small panel slipped open, revealing a concealed keypad. When I punched in the combination code, the door slid open, and I stepped into the room.

What I saw was most definitely _not_ what I had expected.

Pushed against a wall, opposite the rows of screens and monitors, pin boards and drawers, was a black leather lounge. And on the lounge, in a tangle of limbs and hair, was Amy and Ian, locked in a passionate embrace. Amy was straddling Ian's lap, her hands weaving through his hair, and Ian held her against him, gripping tightly to her waist. As I watched, Ian turned to the side and lay on his back along the couch. Amy fell on him with a laugh.

"We're ten minutes late," Amy told him, her hair falling over their faces.

"They won't miss us," Ian grumbled.

Amy's hair shook as she nodded. "Yes, they will. They'll come looking for us."

"I think they'd rather us kissing in here than out there in front of them."

Amy slapped Ian on the chest and sat up.

That's when I decided to clear my throat.

Amy's head snapped around, and when she saw me, she blushed crimson.

"Hi, Uncle Fiske," she murmured.

I nodded in greeting, feeling my own cheeks heating at the sight. Amy hurried to straighten herself, and Ian sat beside her, gripping her hand.

"Hello, Fiske," Ian said briskly. "Welcome home."

Again, I nodded and cleared my throat. "Thank you, Ian."

I stood there in the awkward silence, and we gazed at one another, not quite knowing what to say.

I cleared my throat for the third time, although by now, it certainly didn't need clearing. But before I could speak, Amy beat me to it.

"Nellie's already spoken to us, Uncle Fiske," she said quickly. "And don't worry – we're being responsible."

I stared for a moment longer before giving them a small smile. "How long have you-"

"Been together?" Ian interrupted. "Nearly six months."

I raised an eyebrow. _Why hasn't Nellie told me?_

"Nellie just found out," Amy said, as though she'd read my mind. "When we were in Australia."

I nodded. "Well… congratulations," I said, although to me, it sounded more like a question. I found the subject altogether embarrassing and awkward. I wasn't exactly Guardian material, and so I usually left it to Nellie to deal with these kinds of situations. At least she had experience with children. I, on the other hand, had very little, despite being responsible for Amy and Dan for four years. Nellie was the parental figure, whereas I was like the higher voice, the supplier. When problems were big, Nellie would bring them to me. But most of the time she was able to deal with them herself. It seemed as though she didn't like to bother me with the petty troubles of teenagers, and although I wouldn't mind being called upon for help, I would most likely be of very little assistance.

"Thanks, Uncle Fiske," Amy said with a smile. "It's good to see you. How long are you back for?"

I returned her smile. "A few weeks, I'd say."

The tension seemed to have cracked by then, and Amy stood and gave me a hug. When she pulled back, she peered up at me.

"Everyone's by the pool," she told me. "I think Dan will be happy to see you."

"Thank you, dear." I smoothed down my suit and headed for the door, glancing back to see Amy turn to Ian with a grin. Ian gazed back at her with an expression that I was familiar with. I'd seen it before, perhaps once or twice. I knew it was rare to see love so strong that it outlawed everything else. Very few people were able to find it, and they were extremely lucky when they did. And from one glance, I could tell that what Ian and Amy had was that kind of love, the one that never ended, that never went away. The one that was thicker than any family bond, and stronger than any promise.

With a spring to my step, I walked down the hall, smiling to myself, glad that after everything that my niece had been through, she was able to find a love like that.

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**And that was the very final chapter *****tear*****.**

**Thank you everyone for the continued support, and thank you to everyone who reviewed and/or followed this story. I'm really sorry it's taken me so long to write, and to be perfectly honest, I'm kind of glad it's over, but at the same time I want it to continue. We'll see what happens ;) I hope you liked the ending x**

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**P.S: I have another Amian story that'll be up really soon. It'll be called "Five Times", but it's not written to correspond with this story. It's set three years later, and although it **_**could**_** work as a companion story, there are one or two details that are a little different.**


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